When I Fall In Love
by Mommyzilla
Summary: Moving from friends to more is often fraught with pitfalls. So many things can go wrong, but this was not something they thought they would have to deal with. Strength, patience, friendship, and unending love make the perfect recipe for a happy ending. AH/AU Liason.
1. Chapter 1

Hi All! I'm back with a reader request story. I had to take a long this break this time to deal with my eye issues, there was also a death as well as other family members health issues I was dealing with. So thank you for being patient that I was away from the boards.

This story is AU/AH. Altered character histories will discussed in the story. The focus of this story is Liason, but there secondary couples mentioned. There is a new for me pairing in this story, and I'm curious to see how it goes over with you guys. I like it so there is a good chance you'll see it again at some point.

As stated above this is a reader request. Dottie and I had some great chats while I was putting this one together. She had some things she wanted to see take place, and I did my best to make them happen So Dottie I hope you enjoy where I went with the prompts that you gave me.

I tried a new writing style for this one. The main complaint I get is that my chapters are too short, so I worked on making them longer. Honestly I don't enjoy this new style. It will appear in one other story I'm working on but that will probably be it. As the writer I need to put my comfort first, sorry if you think that is selfish. You will get chapters on a daily basis, unless life happens, so that will have to be enough.

Thank you Liason102 for the edit, and for patiently waiting for me to have something to send you. As always it is a pleasure to work with you.

Story is rated M/MA.

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 1

"So what is the deal with you and Jason?" Emily turned her eyes to her best friend. If she hadn't already had three shots of tequila she probably wouldn't have worked up the nerve to ask. Her brother was notoriously private about his social life. Her best friend was the same way.

"There is no deal." Liz said sipping her soda. She was the designated driver on tonight's outing. Everyone in the crew took a turn. On special nights when they were all drinking, generally a birthday, then Em brought a limo from the mansion. However on those nights they weren't hanging out at The No Name.

"Please." Carly said rolling her eyes. "We all know you have the hots for him. It's been that way for years." She was also feeling the alcohol.

"Make me sound old why don't you." Liz said grinning at her friend. "I'm only twenty-six."

"And you've known Jason since you were a teenager." Robin was the most hammered of the bunch, which wasn't surprising. The reason they were out tonight was to get her drunk. A few days ago she ended her relationship with Patrick after he cheated on her with an ex-girlfriend of his. So tonight they were having a good old fashioned man bashing session. That was why they were here and not at Jake's. If they went to the waterfront dive bar they would have to take guards, and tonight they were creating a man free zone. "And it was lust at first sight."

"Of course it was lust at first sight. That was the first clue they were meant to be together." Carly commented. "No one at this table blames you." The blonde woman told Elizabeth.

"We aren't here to talk about my social life." Liz said getting them back on track. "We are here to call Patrick as many names as we can think of." She was also out with her friends to take her mind off the message she received this afternoon. Her professional life could take a huge leap forward if things worked out for her.

"Technically it would be a nonsocial life." Nadine said grinning. Like everyone else at the table, except Liz, the nurse was a few shots in. She would be switching to soda soon though because hangovers sucked. Plus if she was drunk she wouldn't be able to jump her guy when she got home. His morals would get in the way.

"She has a point." Georgie said backing up her friend. "Since you aren't dating, there is no social life to talk about. You could be dating though. Jason is totally into you."

"Guys, we're just friends." Liz didn't want to discuss this. It was true they were currently in the friend zone. It was also true that they would more than likely be changing that soon. Very soon. When she first met Jason, yes she had crushed on him, but she never considered he would return her interest. Plus she was too young for him to date, so they became friends. Over the course of that friendship, once she was of age, they were never single at the same time. Until now. He ended his last relationship first and had been single for almost a year. Her last relationship crashed and burned about six months ago. Like Robin her ex cheated on her. Unlike Robin it was with someone Liz trusted. "Let it go."

"I don't think we should." Emily looked over at the woman she thought of like a sister. Liz dating Jason would be awesome, and it totally needed to happen. Emily saw how her brother looked at the designer when he thought no one was looking. Liz was often sneaking peeks too. They just needed a push. Looking across the table she saw Carly was smirking. Her sister in-law might be the perfect partner for this caper.

"Em's right. You're the only one whose social life needs fixing." Carly pushed her glass aside. They had a bottle in the middle of the table and if she wanted another drink she could help herself.

"Robin just got cheated on." Liz pointed out.

"Thanks for the reminder." Robin rolled her eyes. "I almost forgot."

"Robin is hopeless." Carly was not a fan which was why she and the doctor didn't hang out. They had at one point competed for the attention of a couple of the same guys, Jason included. Neither one of them got the blonde's mobster's attention though. Carly thought him ignoring her was the best thing that ever happened to her because it lead to her being available for AJ when he returned from London. "She was lucky to even get Patrick."

"I'm not too drunk to kick your ass." Robin snarled even though the exact opposite was true.

"Why don't we table a discussion of my cousin's social life for the moment?" Georgie said trying to calm the flare up. "Instead we can focus our attention on Liz. It's too early for Robin to even think of dating."

"Is anyone sitting at this booth on my side?" Liz asked looking at her friends.

"I am." Nadine said raising her hand. "We should drop it. Mainly because Liz is just too chicken to go for it. Jason too if we are being honest. Because yup, he is way into you. Although before we officially begin not talking about that. Carly why are you here? You hate Robin, so a pick me up party for her is the last place you should be." Nadine didn't interact much with Emily's sister in-law, but she knew the history between the two women.

"Em invited me." Carly really liked her husband's sister. Which was something of a surprise. She rarely got along with other women, but Emily and Liz had bucked that trend. The three women were pretty much inseparable most of the time. Now Carly was slowly making friends with the other ladies.

"Just because you don't want to stay in the mansion because your in-laws hate you doesn't mean you need to crash my party." Robin was ready for a fight.

"My parents adore Carly. She's much better than AJ's last girlfriend." Emily didn't sit by and let anyone bad mouth her sister.

"Brenda was the best thing that ever happened to AJ." Robin said feeling her temper rise. The model was like family.

"Really, so her sleeping with Jagger was just for AJ's own good?" Emily shot back. "Considering why we are in this bar I would think you are the last person who would be defending a traitorous whore."

"Robin, let's go to the bathroom. Then we can step out and get some air." Georgie was afraid a fistfight was going to break out any second now. Robin was the outsider in this group, normally she wasn't invited to their Girl's Night Out due to the fact that no one really liked her. However Georgie had organized this get together and she was trying to help Robin make some friends. Without Patrick she was worried her cousin would be lonely.

"I'm done here." Robin said standing up. "I don't need anyone's pity." The short doctor said just a bit too loudly. Heads turned in their direction at her announcement. "I can get another guy if I want. Jason is single maybe he'll be interested in me."

"She doesn't mean that." Georgie said getting up as well. The last thing Robin needed was for Liz to dislike her too. Especially considering that Jeff Webber was the Chief of Staff at General Hospital. Pissing off your boss's daughter was a recipe for a short career. It was good thing Emily hadn't gone into medicine because Robin would really be screwed as Monica was the Chief of Surgery.

"I know." Liz knew that the short doctor wasn't interested in Jason. Robin was trying to get a rise out of Carly. The blonde woman and the enforcer had become friends once she realized she wasn't actually interested in him. "Maybe you should take her home though." Liz had reached her quota of Robin time. She didn't dislike the short doctor, but they couldn't be called friends either.

"We'll go to the bathroom and I'll call a taxi from there. We will wait outside for it to arrive." Georgie said gathering their things. This neighborhood was safe enough that they could do so. At Jake's they had to wait inside the bar because of the neighborhood. "Liz I'll catch up with you later in the week."

"I'll be around." Liz waved at her friend. She and Georgie met at the hospital where Elizabeth volunteered, and Georgie came to visit her ill sister. When Maxie was in surgery Liz had sat with Georgie and held her hand.

"Okay, with the problem child gone." Emily said snidely. "We can focus on Elizabeth and Jason."

"Yes, we can." Carly nodded her agreement. Nadine was doing the same thing.

"Oh bother." Liz said thinking she picked the wrong night to not drink.

* * *

The No Name was firmly in Corinthos Morgan territory, so the ladies weren't worried about who was overhearing their conversation. Members of local rival families didn't frequent the establishment because they knew they wouldn't be welcomed. Locals however were another story. On most weeknights the bar would be busy with folks having a drink after work or simply hanging out with friends.

The man sitting in the booth behind the ladies had come in to blow off some steam. He was with a group of friends from work. Normally they hung out at Jake's, but the pool tables were full so they came over here tonight. Which proved to be a stroke of luck. With six of them they were shooting pool tournament style, with the winner of each round playing the next person in the queue until someone took the pot. He had been in the first round and lost. Hanging around the pool table was a lot less fun than flirting with the pretty waitress at their booth so he came to sit down.

And got to overhear the conversation taking place behind him.

In a town of mobsters information was its own form of currency. An informant could make a lot of quick cash if he overheard the right thing. Logan was thinking that tonight he had stumbled across something potentially worth a whole lot of money. Finishing his beer he walked out of the bar, telling his friends he was going to get something from his truck. Inside the cab he placed a call.

"Smith." Zander was stretched out on the sofa watching television. He had considered going out but decided against it. There was too much potential for picking up a woman who would be hard to shake off. He had a great girl and screwed around on her. The look of hurt on Elizabeth's face was one he wouldn't ever forget. She wasn't ever going to forgive him, which he had earned, but he wished there was a way he could change that. He thought if he had another chance he could do better.

"Your ex-girlfriend is in the No Name." Logan passed along. "With Morgan's sister, sister in-law, and Paul's girlfriend."

"Okay." Zander replied in a voice that said this news wasn't of interest to him. "It's a free country, she can go drinking with her friends."

"I thought you might like to know that apparently Morgan is interested in her, and from what I hear the feeling is mutual." Logan passed along.

"And your point is?" Zander already knew that. Anyone with working eyes could see the attraction. They could also see that they were both fighting it. If he had to guess he would say that Liz was done with mobsters. He worked for Lorenzo Alcazar who was a frenemy of the Corinthos Morgan organization. At the moment things were fine between them mainly because his boss was dating Skye Chandler, who happened to be Morgan's half-sister.

"You mentioned wanting to make things right for your ex. This is your chance." Logan pointed out. This was also his chance to make some cash, but he was going to need some help. Zander could do that without even realizing it.

"I'm not following you." Zander turned off the television and sat up. Logan was generally a good source of information. A couple of things that he had brought to Zander's attention turned out to be correct, and valuable. Along the way they had struck up a friendship. Zander had even offered to get his friend a job, but Logan said no thanks.

Hayes laid out his plan, or as much of it that he had, and was willing to share, at the moment. He started formulating it at the table so it was still rough. Even so it was a good a plan. "Well what do you think?"

"I think it could work." Zander had to admit. It was a bit dramatic for his tastes, but Logan was a go big or go home kind of guy. "However I can't be involved in anything like that. If I get caught my boss will kill me if Morgan doesn't." Lorenzo had very strict rules about how they treated women. Zander cheating on Liz had actually got him demoted.

"You won't be involved. Not directly. I'll do all the work. I only need two things from you. One is silence." Logan then explained what the second thing was. "In the end Morgan and your ex-girlfriend will be together, which will make up for what you did. Or you could come rescue her and maybe she'll give you another chance."

"We aren't getting back together." Although what Logan was suggesting might help Zander change that. "Why are you doing this any way? It can't be out of the goodness of your heart." He pointed out the thing that didn't fit.

"Nope." Logan said being partially honest. "I am doing this so that you will owe me one. Favors are always a good thing to have in your pocket." Not that he planned on collecting. Once he had his money Logan was leaving Port Charles behind for somewhere snow didn't exist. When the news of what happened broke Zander's part in things would ensure his silence. "Are you in?" If the other man said no Logan would have to scrap the entire plan, or kill Zander whichever worked.

"I'm in." Zander wasn't sure he believed that Logan could be trusted to not hurt Liz. By agreeing he could keep an eye on the dockworker. "Call me when you have her."

"Stay by your phone. I'm thinking I won't get a better shot than tonight." Logan said before hanging up and watching the four women walk from the bar. "Right time, right place, and a hell of a pay off because of it." He said grinning as he started the car.

* * *

"Nadine I'm going to drop you off first. Then I'll take the troublesome twosome home." Liz had been the one to decide they should call it a night. She wasn't going to sit there and listen to the three of them plan how she should get Jason's attention.

Yes she and the mob boss were still friends, but that was changing. She knew he was interested in pursuing a romantic relationship, just like he knew the same about her. They were moving forward at their own pace and didn't need any interference. In fact he had called her earlier today and asked if they could go for a ride tomorrow night. She was pretty sure the evening was going to end with him asking her out on a date. She was going to say yes.

"We weren't that bad." Carly said buzzed from her shots. She and Em were going to have to sneak into the mansion. Lila would help them with that. "We were just pointing out that the two of you are wasting time."

"Time you could be naked and rolling around in bed." Nadine added on laughing.

"I didn't need to hear that." Emily told the nurse practitioner. "While yes I do want Liz and Jason to become a couple, I don't want to think about them being naked."

"No one needs to think about me being naked." Liz said shooting her friend, who was in the front passenger seat, a look. "In fact you guys don't need to worry about my social life at all."

"Is there something you want to share?" Carly asked leaning as far forward as her seatbelt would allow. "Because we are all ears."

Liz just reached forward and turned on the radio. Hopefully the music would encourage them to not talk. If they stayed quiet there was a good chance everyone would make it home friendships intact. Tomorrow she would need to track down Georgie and make sure she was okay. If Liz was feeling nice she might even ask about Robin.

Liz made the turn off of the road that lead to The No Name and onto the one that connected to the Main Street of Port Charles. This time of night there wouldn't be much traffic, namely because not many folks in the harbor town went out drinking in the middle of the week. Everyone in this car, had odd hours.

Nadine worked all manner of shifts at the hospital. Emily was in graduate school and her first class tomorrow wasn't until ten. Carly owned a hotel and generally worked most weekends so she took weekdays off. Tomorrow she could sleep in if she wanted. Liz was a fashion designer and that meant she could set her own hours. She had just sent a collection off to the seamstresses so right now she was having a short holiday before she started working again. The night out with her friends had seemed like a great way to start the celebration, even without alcohol.

Liz was humming along to the radio, while her friends chatted, as she made the turn. She was listening to the conversation with one ear as they headed home. The song changed and at the same time the truck on the opposite side of the road veered into her lane and hit the front of her car. The air bags deployed as all four ladies were thrown forward. Thank goodness she had insisted that everyone buckle up before they left the parking lot.

* * *

One of the great things about this plan was that Logan knew exactly where the ladies were headed when they left the bar. There was only one way to get to the establishment from the harbor town. With Zander's ex behind the wheel that meant she was dropping her passengers off first. If he had to guess he would say Paul's girl first, and then the Quartermaine ladies. Although it didn't really matter. The same road lead to both locations.

So he simply pulled out of the parking lot first. He drove up the road a piece, made a U-turn, turned off his lights and waited. Liz, although they didn't know one another so he would call her Elizabeth when they finally met, drove a bright yellow Beetle so when she turned onto the road he easily spotted her. The only thing left was to stop them, and seeing as his car was twice the size of hers that wouldn't be a problem. In fact he barely felt it at all when he rammed the front side panel of her car.

He was out of his truck and beside the smaller car quickly. He arrived just as Elizabeth pushed her air bag out of her face. A quick look showed that all the ladies were unharmed. He tapped on the driver's side window with his Glock and watched her eyes widened. "Hello ladies." He said with a bright smile. "I'm going to need all of you to get out of the truck. Hands where I can see them please."

Inside the car the ladies looked at each other. "My car isn't bulletproof." Liz let them know. So really the only option they had was to follow instructions.

"If we just give him all our valuables, I'm sure he'll leave us alone." Carly said hopefully. "It's not that long of walk back to the bar." Suddenly she was feeling a lot less buzzed.

"You're burning daylight ladies, as it were. I'd hate to have to start shooting." He said still smiling. Liz opened her door at the same time Nadine did. When they were all standing outside the car in a line Logan nodded. "Cell phones please." He said in that same friendly tone he'd been using since walking over. "Thank you."

Hopefully this was just a run of the mill carjacking. Most robbers didn't actually want to hurt anyone. They just wanted to scare their victims into cooperating. Nadine was very much aware that this could be related to what her boyfriend, and Emily's brother did. Hopefully that wasn't the case. Her cellphone could be easily replaced, but if this was because of the business they could very well be looking at a life and death situation. The longer he went without demanding any other valuables the more worried she became.

"Now. You are going to come with me." He said looking at Elizabeth. "If you ladies don't follow the directions I'm about to give you I'll shoot your friend. You three are going to go home. I want you to start by telling Morgan he doesn't need to try and be a superhero. Him doing the wrong thing will get Elizabeth hurt. I'll be in contact later about her returning to her loved ones. Are we clear?" He wanted to know.

"They'll behave." Liz answered before anyone else could. Carly had that look in her eyes that could mean trouble. She wouldn't hesitate to try something. With that gun in his hand whoever the guy standing in front of them was, he had the advantage.

"For your sake I hope so." Logan waved the gun, silently instructing Elizabeth to start walking. At the truck he tied her hands behind her back before instructing her to get into the backseat of the cab where her feet were tied, and she was gagged. To do that he had to take his eyes off the other three ladies, but when he looked back they were still in the same spots. He jumped down and got behind the wheel. His vehicle started up with no issue and he made another U-turn tossing the cellphones out the window as he drove off.

"Get the license plate number!" Emily yelled as she ran to where their phones had landed.

"The lights on the truck are off, I couldn't see it." Nadine said terrified for her friend.

"Me either." Carly said grabbing her phone. The screen was cracked and she couldn't turn it on. "My phone is dead."

"Can you drive?" Emily asked turning her device on. She and Nadine had the same phones the guys in the organization did. They also had the same protective covers. It would take a bomb blast to make the devices not work.

"Yeah." Carly normally would never get behind the wheel after a night of drinking but this was an emergency.

"I'll call while you do. Let's see if we can find him." Emily said as they ran back to the car. Right now all they could say was that he drove off in the direction of downtown. If he kept driving there was no telling where he would end up.

Carly got behind the wheel and turned the key but the engine didn't flare to life. "Come on." She said trying again. "Shit!" She said hitting the wheel after the third time with no success.

Meanwhile both Emily and Nadine were making calls. It was Em who got an answer first. "Jason, Elizabeth's been kidnapped."

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 2

It took the guys fifteen minutes to get to where the ladies were stranded. "Tell me everything that happened." Jason demanded once he saw for himself that everyone was okay.

"The guy who took Elizabeth hit us. He had a gun when he tapped on her window. He told us to get out of the car, and took our phones. He tied Elizabeth up and put her in the back of his truck. Before driving off and tossing our phones out the window." Emily was worried about her friend.

"Tell us about the guy." Johnny looked at the trio of ladies. The only person besides Liz that was missing was Milo's girlfriend. He had gotten a call from her when she got home. He said he had no idea why Georgie wasn't with everyone else but if he had to guess he figured it had something to do with Robin.

"And the truck." Francis added on. He was the only one of the guys out here right now who hadn't been at Sonny's playing poker. He had been home with Diane, who was nursing a cold.

"The guy was about six feet tall, dark blond hair, and brown eyes. He had an accent but I couldn't place it." Carly had been telling herself to remember what he looked like.

"Texas." Nadine said from her spot next to her guy. "You don't mistake that accent for anywhere else."

"He had on jeans, dark blue. A grey t-shirt and boots. Like the kind construction workers wear, they were scuffed." Carly finished up. "I didn't see any tattoos."

"The truck was a Ford 150. Black." Nadine let them know. "None of us could see the license plate." She said looking at the guys.

"Liz's car wouldn't start so we couldn't see which way he went other than towards town." Emily told her brother.

"None of you should be driving." Jason looked at them. He knew Elizabeth was the designated driver for tonight's outing. "Did you see him at The No Name?" While it wasn't guaranteed that was where they picked up their tail it was the most likely place. The odds of the guy just hanging out on the road waiting for them to drive past were so slim he was discounting that for now.

All three ladies shook their heads no. "I wasn't looking around." Carly told her brother in-law.

"Plus we were in the booth all the way in the back. Not much to see unless you go to the bathroom." Nadine knew the guys would understand what she meant.

"Get in the SUV. Milo will take you home." Cody told the ladies.

"Can I stay over?" Nadine wanted to know.

"Yeah." Cody had already told Milo to take her to the Towers.

"Call me when you find her." Emily normally wouldn't ask this of her brother, but she needed to know her friend was okay. That her brother would find Liz was not even in doubt.

"I can do that. Go." Jason tilted his head toward the truck. They watched while the ladies got into the SUV. Milo pulled off with Hank following him. "Let's go." Jason said as they piled into the car Johnny was driving. Kyle and Chris were waiting to follow them.

* * *

Jason walked in and the manager immediately came over. "Do you know off the top of your head if any of your regulars drives a black Ford 150, with four doors?" The enforcer wanted to know. He was ready to lock the door and start busting heads until somebody talked.

"No." Gary told his boss. "I'd lay money that it's one of the dock workers though. Most of them drive trucks." He pointed to the group over by the last pool table. "Those guys over there are the only non-regulars in here tonight and one of them is gone."

"Run the security footage, look for a truck matching that description." Jason instructed looking at the group. When Gary moved off Jason turned to his crew. "Anyone over there recognizable?"

"No." Francis shook his head.

"No." Johnny was one of the enforcer's for the organization. Part of his job was to know who worked for the other families. It was impossible to know all the low level guys, and informants, but the major players he should know.

"No." Cody, the other enforcer, was the last to answer. "But the guy in the green shirt is either current military, or ex-military." He looked at the guys he came in with. "Like recognizes like."

Jason nodded before walking over. He was fully in enforcer mode and everything about his face and body screamed that he was ready to dish out some pain. "We want some information."

"I want to be a millionaire." Cal said mouthing off. He knew who was in front of him and wanted to show off for the woman who was standing at the next table. "I don't see either of those things happening anytime soon." He said putting down his beer bottle.

Jason didn't even respond. He just reached out, faster than Cal could move, grabbed the man mouthing off by the hair and slammed him face first into the table. The entire bar went silent and then the sound of chairs moving could be heard as folks left. "I'm sorry what did you say?" Jason asked in a lethal tone. "It sounded like what came out of your mouth was what can I help you with Mr. Morgan. Unless I was mistaken."

The other guys went to move and found themselves staring down the barrel of three guns. "Don't be stupid like your friend." Johnny warned them. "What you should do is listen to the questions my friend is about to ask and then speak up if you have something to share."

The other four men simply put up their hands.

"Who left early?" Jason wanted to know.

"Logan. Logan Hayes." Cal had no idea pain like this existed. His nose was broken, actually more like smashed, and he had blood coursing down his face.

"Does he drive a four door black Ford 150?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes." Cal just wanted to curl up under the table and hide. He was trying not to cry and failing badly.

"Where can I find him?" Jason wanted to know. Something wasn't adding up. Why would a guy who could be so easily found snatch Elizabeth?

"Cooper." Cal said before pointing to his friend.

"You have something to add?" Jason pinned the younger man to the spot with his blue gaze.

"Logan is my roommate." Cooper said wondering just what the hell his friend had done now. Whatever it was Logan wasn't going to drag him down too. "He didn't say he was leaving or where he was going."

"Cody." Jason didn't take his eyes off the man he was talking to as he gave the order.

"Let's go." Cody pointed to the door. He would take Cooper home and have a look through Logan's things. While that might not be who they were searching for, it was their first lead. "We can talk about your roommate on the drive over."

"Take Chris with you." Johnny told his friend. He had no doubt that Cody could take Cooper, backup was just smart.

"Will do." Cody wasn't insulted by the order. "After you." He told the younger man. "I'll call if I find anything."

"Anything else you want to tell me?" Jason asked Cal.

"Logan's an asshole." Cal tacked on. Whatever his friend did he hoped that his death was painful.

Jason let the idiot go and looked at the remaining three men. "Do you have anything you might like to add? Such as places Logan likes to go, or any other friends he might have?"

"He doesn't have a lot of friends." Joe said thinking he was going to be driving his brother to the ER. Hopefully without injuries of his own that needed to be treated. "He likes to hang out at Jake's. We only came here to shoot pool."

"This is the last time you will do that." Jason said looking down at where Cal was crawling away.

"Not a problem." Joe would be happy to never set foot in this bar again.

"If you remember anything I should know, call the manager. He'll pass the message on." Jason said before simply turning and walking away. If they were dumb enough to attempt to press charges they would regret it.

* * *

Gary was waiting by the door. "Here's the footage from tonight." They were old school and used VHS tapes. "The truck was in the lot, it's gone now. The license plate was partially obscured, but I wrote down the four numbers I could see." They were on the post it note attached to the tape.

Johnny took the paper. "I'll call Stan." He said heading out of the bar. This would tell them quickly if they were looking for Hayes or not. If they were Stan would start a background run.

"You need anything else?" Gary asked his boss.

"Did anyone seem to be paying special attention to the ladies?" Jason wanted to know.

"No. I had Jeff watching their table." Gary wasn't stupid. Having his boss's sister and sister in-law in the establishment meant keeping them under surveillance if they came in without guards. Which probably wouldn't happen ever again. "There was some sort of problem at the table. Milo's girl ended up taking her cousin home early."

"The group by the pool table are no longer welcome here." Jason didn't have to say which group he meant.

"I'll make sure everyone knows." Gary had no idea what they did but clearly they had pissed Jason off.

"Mr. Morgan?" Joe cautiously approached the mobster.

"What?" Jason turned and glared at the other man.

"Can I take my brother to the hospital?" Joe wasn't sure they could leave.

"Yes. Don't leave Port Charles, I may have more questions." Jason said dismissing him. "The table they were at needs to be replaced." Blood was not going to come out of the velvet.

"I'll order one tonight." Gary would also wait for the crew that would come to dispose of the one here. After cleaning up the staff could go since the bar was now empty.

Jason nodded before walking out to find Johnny.

The enforcer was ending his call. "We got a hit. The truck in question belongs to Hayes." Johnny passed along. "Stan is tapping into the traffic cameras to see if he can track it. I need to contact Cody and let him know Logan is who we want." A very thorough examination of his belongings would be happening. "Stan told Spinelli to look for a phone number. If he finds one he'll go through the records."

"The ladies are all home." Francis said looking at his phone. "Sonny also wants an update."

"There's nothing to tell him." Jason said letting his frustration come through in his voice. "I have no fucking idea where Elizabeth is!" More than anything he wanted something to pound on. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Johnny asked as they followed their friend.

"Jake's." Jason said getting into the car.

* * *

The drive was short. This was another bar in Corinthos Morgan territory so Jason wasn't worried about trashing the place if necessary. He walked into the bar and headed right to the light switch panel. He hit all three toggles plunging the room into darkness. When he turned the lights back on everyone was looking at him. He didn't start speaking until Kyle pulled the cord on the jukebox. "Logan Hayes." Jason said sweeping the room. "Who can tell me anything about him?"

The silence in the room was thick.

"I know that this is where he comes to relax. I'm sure someone here has something to share. Like where he works, who his friends are, or where he likes to relax." Jason looked over at Francis who locked the door.

"He works for the dock master as a floater." A voice from the back spoke up. "He's also an asshole."

"Logan doesn't have a lot of friends. Mainly Cooper Barrett and the Atkins brother." Another person spoke up.

The information kept coming after that. Unfortunately there wasn't anything new being learned. What was happening though was that the guys were getting a better feel for the man they were hunting. Logan had a problem with authority and had a fairly large ego. He had a short fuse that often ended up with him involved in fist fights. The more he learned the more anxious Jason became to find Elizabeth. If one of their enemies had snatched her then she would be treated well, Hayes however was a loose cannon. If he hurt a single hair on her head his death would be ten times harder than what Jason was already planning.

* * *

Elizabeth's legs had fallen asleep from being tied up. That meant when whoever the jerk was that kidnapped her cut the rope around her ankles she couldn't kick him in his smug face. Her arms were also asleep and she knew that it was going to really painful when they were released, which would be hopefully soon.

He basically had to drag her to the isolated cabin because walking wasn't happening. The setting reminded her of every single summer camp horror movie she'd ever seen. Not really the thought she wanted to be having. The cretin who took her still hadn't said why all this was happening. Trying to get back at Jason might immediately be most people's first thought, however it wasn't hers. Yes, the asshat did mention Jason, but her kidnapper also mentioned her family. What that brought to mind was her dad's recent cuts at the hospital. He'd gotten a few nasty emails from folks who lost their jobs and a number of threats. While she didn't recognize Logan from the medical center he could have been an orderly who was now unemployed.

Or yeah this could be about Jason. Either way Liz had no doubt that he was going to immediately begin looking for her. Once Em, Carly, or Nadine were able to make a call that search would start. If she got the chance she would help that rescue mission along. While she wasn't ready for any MMA bouts she had taken several self-defense courses. She just needed to pick her moment.

The door opened before they reached it and behind her gag she let loose with a string of profanity. Not only had that asshole cheated on her with someone who was supposed to be her friend, but now he had her kidnapped! The second she could she was going to see that Zander got the ass whooping she should have delivered the night she found him in bed with Gia.

"I don't think she's happy to see you." Logan said stepping into his temporary home, he had not been expecting to see Zander. The cabin was on the run down side, but all that mattered was that it had a bedroom with a sturdy lock and bulletproof windows. He didn't want his pigeon flying the coop.

"You didn't have to tie her up." Zander told the Texan. "Liz isn't a threat."

"I considered asking her to just get into the back of my truck, but somehow I didn't think she was gonna say yes." Logan said dragging her into the back of the cabin. "You take anything that might be a weapon out of the room?"

"Yeah." Zander said following them. "We hold prisoners here, so it's all ready to go. Or we used to. This safe house was decommissioned a few years back. Not many people even remember it." Which made it perfect for them. "I grab the keys from the office. No one will even miss them." They had been in a drawer gathering dust.

In the bedroom Logan removed the gag. "You asshole!" Liz screamed at her ex. "Run Zander. I swear once I get free I will make you pay for this!"

"Yeah, not happy to see you." Logan said laughing as he cut the rope binding her wrists. "Get comfy princess. I have no idea how long you're gonna be here." He said sauntering to the door.

Liz didn't say anything instead she just glared at the retreating figure. The door shut and she heard the lock slam home. Slowly she tried rolling her shoulders and the pain made her hiss. As the blood starting flowing again the pins and needles were almost unbearable. She had been thinking that at some point she would be making a ransom call, but with Zander showing up she wasn't sure now. He hadn't been happy with the breakup and all the things he could do to her out here had her skin crawling.

She looked over at the clock on the table. She'd officially been gone almost an hour. That meant they were near Port Charles but probably no longer in it. That was fine, she could work with that. Zander, and whoever the hell the other asshole was, would regret snatching her. She was going to see to it. Since her legs felt better she walked over to the door and placed her ear against it. While she waited for her arms to feel better she would try to pick up any information she could.

* * *

"How are you going to get Morgan's attention?" Zander wanted to know. That was the point of all this. To make Jason come rescue Liz, although since the phone call from Hayes, Zander had been putting together a plan of his own on how to use this situation to break down the walls around Liz's heart.

"I already have it." Logan didn't underestimate Jason. "I'm sure that the other ladies in Elizabeth's group are going to be able to describe me, and my truck. It won't take him long to figure out who I am. What you need to worry about is him learning that you and I know each other." In his role as an informant Logan made sure he wasn't actually seen talking to Zander. That wasn't how that game was played.

"How are you going to make sure that he learns she's all the way out here?" Zander wanted to know. "I don't want her held for too long."

"Aww, how sweet. You still have feelings for her. You maybe gonna have a sample while she's out here. I'm sure she'd happily trade sex for a shot at freedom." Logan said with a smirk.

"That's sick." Zander narrowed his eyes at the other man. "If I find out you put your hands on her I'll kill you myself." That hadn't even occurred to him when he was agreeing to this plan.

"She's not my type. I like blondes with nice racks." Logan had no sexual interest in his captive. He just wanted to get paid. "Don't you worry about Morgan. I've got my bases covered. You just make sure to keep your ear to the ground. Call me if you hear anything I should know before this is over. Did you bring me a bag?"

"I did." Zander had broken into the apartment with no problem and grabbed some of Logan's things. Enough for a week, which would give him clean clothes when he left town. "I also grabbed all the personal items you told me about." Namely his passport.

"Thanks. I don't think this will take very long. I'll have her make a call in the morning. I'm sure Morgan will come running." With a satchel of cash Logan said to himself. The drop off wouldn't be anywhere near here, but once he had his money then he the directions to the cabin would follow. "You hanging around tonight?" Logan grabbed the book he asked Zander to bring.

"No. I have to be back to help with a shipment." Zander needed to leave soon. "I'll return tomorrow and check on Liz. I put some groceries in the fridge. You can call me if you need anything else." The Texan had a number different from his main phone in case anyone tried to trace the calls.

"That's down right nice of you. I had a burger at The No Name, but I might want a snack later. I'll feed Elizabeth in the morning." Logan could be a good host when necessary. His grandmother had taught him all kinds of manners.

"I need to go." Zander said not wanting to. He looked at the room his ex-girlfriend was being held in and then back to her capture. "Keep in mind what I said."

"I'm not gonna touch her." Logan repeated. "I give you my word as a solider." It was the one thing in his life he had been proud of.

"Make sure you keep it." Zander said before heading out.

Logan locked up and stretched out on the couch. There was a lot of silence coming from the back which he wasn't expecting, he figured she would be yelling threats. He considered going to check, but decided against it. Instead he opened his book and started reading.

* * *

"Any news?" Sonny asked walking into penthouse four.

"No. We are waiting for Cody to come back." Johnny answered because Jason was too busy pacing. Their friend was like a caged tiger at the moment. When all the fury was unleased it was going to be frightening.

"We have guys out searching." Francis told his boss. The odds of them finding anything were slim, but just sitting around doing nothing wasn't going to happen. Sometimes lady luck smiled down on them.

"Stan couldn't find any footage of Logan's truck driving through the city, so he may have left the area." Johnny took over the report again. That was a worst case scenario right now. "I reached out to the other families and alerted them to what is going on. If anyone see anything they will call." By anyone Johnny meant their allies. No one expected Sorel to be helpful. They were looking into if he or his partners the Rosco brothers might be involved.

Cody walked through the door as Johnny finished up.

"What did you find?" Jason wanted to know as he stopped pacing. He just couldn't seem to stay still, and he had no clue how he was supposed to sleep tonight.

"Barrett was very helpful." Cody started there. "Some of Logan's items are missing from the apartment. The most important item is his passport." Everyone was frowning at that.

"He can't fly out with her, take a train, or grab a bus." Jason said thinking out loud. "So he'll have to drive or take a boat."

"I'll call the harbormaster." Francis volunteered. The older man was on their payroll anyway. He could get the word out to the other harbormasters in the area.

"Driving would be the smartest way and Canada is not that far away." Sonny knew they were all thinking it. "How long has she been gone?"

"Long enough that he could be halfway to the border." Jason said really wanting to pound of something.

"I'll call the Brown family and tell them to be on the lookout. Stan can send pictures to them." Sonny volunteered wanting to be useful. "Do you want to call the cops?" He would support Jason if his partner wanted to go that route.

"No. I seriously doubt they will be of much help." Jason didn't trust that they would even bother to look for Elizabeth. "However letting Jesse know what is going on might not be a bad idea. He can let us know if anything comes through the station."

"I'll contact him." Cody said getting out his phone.

"I reached out to friends while we were waiting for Cody to come back." Francis spoke up again. "No one has Hayes on their payroll. Or they aren't admitting it." Kidnapping an innocent would bring swift reprisals from Palermo. If another family was involved the Don would need to be notified.

"Right now Logan has all the power." Jason said as the rage started to build once more. "We need to wait for him to make the next move." That was a thought no one liked.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 3

"You wanted to see me?" Zander was getting ready to head home since the shipment had been sorted.

"I got a call from the boss." Eddie pointed to a chair. He was in charge of the warehouse tonight. "Your ex-girlfriend was snatched after leaving The No Name. You wouldn't know anything about that would you? I seem to recall you not being happy she walked away from you."

"No. I haven't spoken to her since we broke up. Why would anyone take her?" Zander asked playing dumb. The minute Liz resurfaced his lie would be exposed. She was going to scream to the high heavens about his part in all this if she got the chance. He had come up with a plan to keep that from happening while he was driving back to the city. Logan was right. Zander did still have feelings for his ex and they were the reason that he had agreed to help. After ending his call with Logan, Zander had figured out how to make this situation work for him. Once his shift was over leaving the area was going to be happening. He was going to have to abandon his plans and Liz.

"I'm guessing because of her friendship with Morgan." Eddie was watching the younger man closely looking for signs he was lying. The problem was to be a part of this life you had to be skilled at not telling the truth.

"Lorenzo is making it clear that if anyone knows anything they need to come forward." Eddie said still watching Zander. So far no tells were happening. "If you hear anything report it."

"I will. I know Liz and I didn't part friends, but I don't wish her any harm." Zander said sticking to the truth.

"Morgan already sent one person to the ER, I imagine that if something doesn't happen soon that number is going to rise." Eddie didn't envy whoever was dumb enough to piss off Jason. The man could really put a hurt on you when motivated. "Or he'll just start putting people in the ground because too much hospital activity will alert the cops. I'm guessing he's going to want to talk to you at some point."

Zander got that he was suspect number one. Something he should have seen coming. Morgan already hated him, so he imagined that talk was going to be accompanied by some pain. So yeah it was time to go. He had had money stashed for a quick getaway. He also had a set of false papers. He could drive to Canada and then hop a flight to anywhere else in the world. Because once his part in this came out Lorenzo was just going to hand him over to Jason. "He knows where to find me. I can't help him though."

"I'm sure that is not something he is going to want to hear." Eddie told his colleague. "We are all set. You can go."

"I'm off tomorrow so I'll be back on Friday." Zander said lying.

"See you then." Eddie's mind was already on something else.

* * *

"What about Zander?" Jason said looking at his friends. "Do we have any indication that he and Logan know each other?"

"Wouldn't hurt to ask around." Francis was just happy to have another direction to look in.

"If he is involved it wasn't his idea to do this. He just doesn't have the balls." Johnny's dislike of Zander was well established. "He was a huge nuisance for Liz after they broke up." She had to talk the guys out of beating Zander up. Johnny had been ready to break some bones on her behalf.

"We should go talk to him." Jason said heading for the door.

"No. Cody can go. He can take Marco as back up." Sonny said stopping his partner. "You killing him isn't going to do anything but land you behind bars." The PCPD was always looking for a reason to arrest them. "We gotta be smart about any moves we make."

"Sonny's right." Francis could see that Jason didn't like that.

"Get changed." Johnny told his friend. "We'll go to the gym." If Jason didn't work off some of this energy he was going to kill the first person who didn't give him an answer he liked when he asked where Liz was. "Francis will man the controls."

"Francis needs to go home. His wife is sick." Jason said remembering why their friend wasn't at the card game tonight.

"She's fine." Francis promised everyone. Diane knew what was going on and had insisted he go help. She had joked that the fashion world needed its rising star back, trying to loosen the tension. "Dee knows I'll be back when we find Liz."

"I'll call Marco on the way to the garage." Cody didn't care that it was late. Zander would open the door and talk to them or they would kick it in.

"I want a report as soon as you get one." Jason stated before his friend could leave though that would be obvious. He also saw what his friends were doing. They were going to try to keep him in the Towers for as long as possible. Which wouldn't be very long, not with Elizabeth missing.

"You'll get it." Cody said before leaving to carry out his orders.

"The other ladies were unharmed?" Sonny was guessing that was the case.

"Yeah. Scared but not injured." Johnny said watching Jason pace again. He was thinking that once his friend decided it was time to go out and look for Liz himself, they weren't going to be able to stop him. Hopefully the body count wouldn't get too high.

* * *

It was after midnight when she could move her arms without wincing in pain. Now that she was functional again it was time to get the hell out of this cabin. Problem number one was that she was locked in this room. The windows didn't open, she had checked. Nor could she break the glass with her shoe. So that was out as an escape, she figured as much but needed to check anyway.

Problem two, she didn't have a weapon. Logan had her in height, weight, and reach. Flat out overpowering him wasn't going to happen. He also had a gun. Which swung the balance of power in his favor. She needed him to enter the room without his weapon in his hand. Even if he did she needed some way to balance the scales.

She sat on the side of the bed for almost another hour before she came up with a plan. She was only going to have one shot at this because if it didn't work she would lose the element of surprise. That was the only advantage she had been given, everything else she would have to earn.

While she set up her trap, she worked on her nerves. The fact that she was scared was seen in how badly her hands were shaking. "You can do this Elizabeth." She said to herself. "He will not be expecting this." She whispered giving herself a mental boost. "He looks at you and sees a small woman, but you are going to shock him." She was going to use her anger, and her sheer will to get away from this cabin, to her advantage. They would become her weapons. Once she was out of the cabin she would worry about figuring out just where the hell she was. Logan's truck was fairly new, hopefully it had GPS. That would be really nice to see.

Satisfied she nodded and got to her feet. Her bare feet because she need her boots as weapons. The hefty chunky heel might be the thing that tipped the scales in her favor. "You can do this." She said in a fierce whisper just before setting her plan in motion.

* * *

The yelling woke Logan up. He sat up on the couch and looked over at the locked door. "What the hell?" He muttered getting up. He had kicked off his boots earlier and didn't bother to put them back on now. "What do you want?" He yelled back.

"Can I get a glass of water?" Liz said making her voice tremble. "I'm really thirsty."

"Can't you just drink from the faucet?" Logan yelled back. The bedroom had an attached bathroom.

"It doesn't work." Liz said trying to make it sound like she was on the verge of tears. "Please?" She said in as quiet a voice as she could manage.

"Wait a minute." Logan said going over to the refrigerator. There were bottles of water and he grabbed one. "Step back from the door." Arrogance made him not bother bring his gun with him. She sounded pathetic, and he figured she was probably too scared to even try anything.

"Okay." Liz said standing by the bed. She wanted him to see her following his order. Besides this put her near her boots. Her plan only had a chance of working because the door opened outward, like a bathroom door and not inwards like your typical bedroom door. It was a strange design element that she had noticed when she was pushed into the room earlier.

Logan unlocked the door and swung it open. The room was dark but that was fine. The entire cabin was dark, and the light from the refrigerator hadn't really messed with his night vision. He stepped forward and tripped over something stretched across the base of the door.

When he pitched forward Liz grabbed a boot and swung it as hard as she could sending him down to the floor. He wasn't unconscious, which she had counted on. This was where her belt came in handy. The brown leather either hadn't been noticed by Logan, or he didn't see it as a threat. Mistake on his part. She had removed it before he came in the room, and placed it on the bed. Now it was wrapped around his throat and she was squeezing with all her might.

Logan managed to get to his feet, even with her on his back, and tried to get his fingers under whatever was around his neck. He was having trouble taking in oxygen and his head was throbbing. He could feel warmth on the side of his face and was guessing it was blood. He tried to buck her off but her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist as she continued to cut off his air supply. As a last resort he slammed her into the wall with as much force as he could. He heard her grunt, but she didn't let go. Spots started forming before his eyes and then the room went black.

When he went down Liz, who was breathing hard and really sore, let go of the belt. The way he went boneless as he dropped couldn't be faked. He was out, still she quickly used the leather strip to bind his hands in case he didn't stay out for long. That was when she checked for a pulse, even with what he did she wasn't looking to kill him. Jason could handle that. Beneath her fingertips her capture's pulse was weak but getting stronger as his breathing returned to normal.

A quick rummage through his pockets revealed nothing. Looking over her shoulder she saw the keys still in the lock. She grabbed her boots and snatched her bra which was what was across the bottom of the door. She slammed the heavy wooden panel shut and locked it. That was when the shaking started. She had done it. She had really done it.

Taking a minute she put on her boots and her bra before starting to look around for a phone. He didn't have one in his pocket but she bet there was one around here someone. Everyone these days had a cell phone. The kitchen was a bust, but the living room was the jackpot. She grabbed the device from the coffee table, as well as the gun, and ran for the front door.

The truck was seriously huge but she would make due. She frowned when she didn't see a GPS unit. Her luck was bound to run out eventually. That was fine though, she could still leave. Putting the key in the ignition she almost cried when the engine roared to life. Next she checked the gas tank and saw it was full. Her luck had only dipped a bit, she was still doing okay. Now it was time to call Jason.

Once she got some bars. Apparently out here in bumblefrick there weren't any cell towers. She dropped the truck into gear and started to drive. At some point she would find a signal.

* * *

"Zander is gone." Cody waited until he was back at the Towers to deliver this message. He watched Jason's eyes go flat.

"That son of a bitch is involved in this. There is no other reason to run. We will find him." Jason was not going to stop until Zander paid for what he had done. "He couldn't have her so he had Logan snatch her." The rage was rising again. So was the fear. Jason was worried about Zander might do to Elizabeth.

"Let me call Lorenzo and see if he knows where Zander might tell Logan to take her." Sonny had been glad when Liz dropped that jackass. Not only because Jason was interested in the designer, but because she could do better.

Jason's phone rang before Sonny could even get his phone out of his pocket. "Morgan."

"Jason." Liz had to hit the brakes. She couldn't talk and drive at the same time.

He switched to speaker. "Where are you?"

"I don't know." Liz told herself to take a deep breath. Crying now would not help anything. Once Jason was here she would indulge that need. "I was tied up when we drove out. There are woods and a cabin. An old cabin. I'm in the truck of the guy who took me." She explained to him.

"Where is the guy who took you?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Tied up at the cabin. I was able to trick him and get away." She explained.

"That's my girl." Francis was so proud of her. "How far have you driven from the cabin?"

"About ten minutes. I needed to find a signal. There is no GPS unit for me to figure out where to go." She explained the problem. "With no street lights I could be driving for a while and possibly in the wrong direction."

"Stop driving." Cody already had his phone out. "Is there somewhere you can pull over?"

"Yeah. I'm on the side of the road now." Liz let them know. "Jason what should I do?" She had no problem asking for help, this situation was far beyond what she knew how to handle.

"Stay put." He knew why Cody had her stop. "We are going to have Stan ping the cell phone tower closest to you and come out. If you drive too far and get lost we might not be able to locate you." Jason didn't want her possibly running out of gas in the middle of nowhere.

"Are you going to hang up?" She really didn't want that. Checking the doors she made sure she was locked in. All that dark outside the windshield was scary.

"No. Not until I'm standing outside the truck." Jason promised her. "I'm proud of you for getting yourself free."

"I knew you would be looking for me, but I told myself that if I could I would try to escape." Liz said grabbing the keys and moving to the backseat. She squeezed between the front of the seat and the back of the front passenger seat. If someone drove by she didn't want them to see her just sitting there. Let them think the truck was empty. If they tried to get in she would hit the alarm on the key and show them her gun.

"I have a general location." Cody looked at his friends. "She's between two cell towers about thirty minutes from here. It looks like she is closest to the further tower. If we drive along that stretch we should see the truck." It was a good thing they told her to stop driving. She was heading towards the area the locals jokingly called the badlands. It was forty mile stretch of barren road. One of the last undeveloped areas up here.

"We are coming to get you now." Jason had Elizabeth off of speakerphone. The guys were heading to the garage. "How far are the two towers from each other?" He asked Cody.

"Stan said about twenty-five miles." Cody had asked that very question. "That would explain why she had to drive to find a signal. I'm guessing Logan doesn't have a smartphone. Otherwise she might have been able to get a signal at the cabin." That theory was backed up by the fact that Stan couldn't find a number for Logan. The hacker had guessed that he had a pay as you go phone which wasn't registered.

Jason sat in the back seat with Francis. Him driving wouldn't happen, he was shaking too hard. He should ask if she was hurt, but honestly Jason wasn't sure he could handle her answer. She had been the victim of a violent crime once already and he didn't want to think of her going through anything like that again.

"Are Em, Carly, and Nadine okay?" Liz was worried about her friends.

"They are fine. Em called me from the crash site. Your car is at the garage. The guys will work on it in the morning." Jason let her know. He had been there when she bought the vehicle. It was her first big purchase now that her fashions were selling. She bought it the same day her website launched.

"That was my first accident." She realized. "At least I don't have to deal with the insurance company."

"No. The car will be good as new when you get it back." Jason had ordered all manner of upgrades as well. She was going to be safe in her Beetle from this point on.

"Thanks. How long has it been?" Liz didn't have on a watch and the interior of the car was too dark to see the time on the cellphone.

"About six minutes." Jason said looking at the dashboard clock. Time was crawling. "Once we leave the city Cody will be driving faster." Which meant she must be a good ways out because he would have factored that into the estimated arrival time he gave them earlier. "I'd like for you to stay at the penthouse tonight."

"I'd like that." Liz didn't hesitate to accept the offer. "I don't think I'll be able to rest at my apartment." It was going to take her a while to settle and she fully intended to let her friends help her through this. "The police didn't get involved did they?" She really didn't want her parents to know about this. They hadn't given her any flack over her friendship with Jason. Liz didn't want that to change. Her Gram had adored Jason, and had even tried to encourage her to try for more with him. "Zander was at the cabin."

"We figured he was involved." Jason let her know. "We've been working to find you."

"I know. I never doubted that." She needed him to know that. She had said that before but it bore repeating. Jason did not like to fail people and he would feel that was the case here. "Who was the man who took me?"

"Logan Hayes." Jason let her know. "We are looking into how he and Zander know each other. Zander is gone, but we will find him." Jason promised her. "He will not get away with this."

"I trust you to handle that." Liz was resisting the urge to ask how long it had been now. It felt like Jason wasn't ever going to get here. She had to blink because the tears were threatening again. "I know you will take care of both Zander and Logan."

"I want to take care of you too." Jason needed to make that clear. After their ride that was scheduled for tonight he had planned on asking her out on a date. An official date, and not them hanging out. He didn't want this kidnapping to threaten what they could have.

Liz couldn't fight off the tears anymore. "We can take care of each other. But right now I think I may need to lean on you a bit." The more support she accepted the faster she would put this behind her.

"That will not be a problem." Jason was going to have to resist the urge to never let her out of his sight again. "Start thinking of who you would like as a guard."

"Whoever you pick is fine." Liz wasn't going to fight him on that. "Are we still going on our bike ride?"

"We certainly are." Jason thought they could both use the mindlessness that being on the bike could give them. "It's been almost a week since our last time out, which is too long."

"How many days' worth of clothes should I pack?" Liz asked getting them back to her stay at the penthouse. "How long can I stay before you get sick of me?"

"You can pack everything." Jason let her know. He was totally serious. If she decided to never leave the penthouse he wasn't going to complain about it. "Stay as long as you like."

"Jason, I think you just asked me to move in with you." She said having her first laugh in what felt like forever.

"I meant it." He said being honest. The fact that the guys could hear this conversation didn't even matter. There was no need to hide what he was going to build with Elizabeth.

"Are you almost here?" She wanted to know. It felt like they had been talking for hours, and not in good way. Which was a first. She wanted to go home. More than anything she just wanted to be back in Port Charles.

"Hopefully we are only about ten minutes away." Jason let her know. With them so close he finally worked up the nerve to ask the question that needed to be answered. "Did he hurt you?" He saw Francis and Johnny look at him and Jason was guessing Cody was listening too.

"Not the way you mean." Liz knew what his big fear was. She also knew that if she had said yes that Jason would stand by her while she healed. "I will probably end up with some bruises from being tied up, and from where my back hit the wall. I'll explain that when you get here." Because it was an odd statement.

Jason shook his head no and the guys relaxed. "We can have the bruises looked at."

"Not necessary." Liz didn't want to be poked at. "I'm going to be sore for a few days and then it will be pass. Once the bruises fade in about a week all this will just be a bad memory."

"Nothing like this will happen again." Jason promised her. He would tell her that again when they were face to face.

"I believe you." Liz always felt safe with Jason, this situation didn't change that.

"Up ahead." Cody said getting Jason's attention. On the side of the road was a black truck. This had to be her.

"The cab is empty." Johnny said confused.

Liz could hear the conversation through Jason's phone. "I'm crouched down in the back." She said getting up and waving at the headlights.

"Smart." Francis said letting himself finally relax. It had been a long night.

"We are parking now." Jason said anxious to get out of the vehicle.

Liz was smiling wide as she watched him get out of the back of the SUV. True to his word he didn't hang up his phone until he was standing by the truck. He opened the door and she jumped into his open arms.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 4

The second his arms closed around her everything in Jason relaxed. The rage that she had been taken was still simmering below the surface, but the fear was gone. Once he had Logan in front of him Jason could address some of the anger. However he would have plenty left over for Zander. Now though he needed to focus on Elizabeth. "It's okay baby. It's over. You did great, and now it's over." He said rubbing his hand over her back. As gently as possible keeping in mind her mentioning bruises.

Liz just burrowed as close to Jason as possible. The shaking was worse than it had been earlier. The fact that she was finally safe with Jason, and the guys, meant she could let her emotions out. She had expected that she would be a crying mess, but that wasn't the case. Shock could be at the root of that. At some point the tears would come, she knew that for sure. Right now she was focusing on being in Jason's arms which was the best feeling she'd ever known.

"Jason. We need to know where the cabin is." Johnny hated to interrupt the moment his friends were sharing but they needed to get Logan contained. The longer he was alone the greater the chance he might escape.

Jason nodded indicating that he had heard his friend. "Which way did you come from?" He asked Elizabeth.

"West. Like I said on the phone about ten minutes." Liz pointed while talking. "The turn off is a bit over grown, but that road takes you right up to the cabin. Logan had a gun, I'm not sure if he had more, but the one I saw is in the truck now. I hit him on the head with my shoe, so even if he woke up and managed to untie his hands he's still injured."

Jason just pulled her closer. He didn't want to think of her taking on an armed man. She was a lot stronger than most people would think from just looking at her. But no one could beat a bullet. Every man out here with them was proof of that. Without a word he picked her up and walked back to where the car was idling. In the back seat he settled Elizabeth on his lap. Putting her on the seat between him and Francis wasn't even a thought.

* * *

"I'll drive the truck." Cody told O'Brien. "You can follow me in the SUV. Once we have Logan we can transport him in the backseat of the cab."

Johnny looked over at the SUV before looking back at his friend. "Liz said she choked Logan out as well as hit him on the head. There is a chance she may have unintentionally killed him. If that happened I don't want her to know."

"I don't have a problem with that plan." Cody didn't hesitate to say. There was no need for her to live her life with that knowledge. "No matter what he's getting carried out of the cabin. I also don't see Jason letting her out of his arms anytime soon so she won't be getting a close up look at Logan. It was pretty badass, her taking him out. Like Barrett, Hayes is former military. He seems to have forgotten the part of our training where they tell you to never underestimate an opponent."

"She shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. Only someone with no morals goes after a woman." Johnny had no respect for men who went after women and children. The ladies would all be protected better from this point forward. Not giving them full time guards before now had been a mistake, one they fully intended to learn from.

"She won't ever be in this position again." Cody said also looking at the truck. Jason was going to use this kidnapping to send a message. "After Lily was killed I didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to try anything else where the ladies were concerned."

"Zander is an idiot. Apparently he found another idiot in Hayes." Johnny was looking forward to watching Smith die. "Let's get moving so we can get Liz settled into the penthouse for the night."

"Or the rest of her life." Cody joked before heading over to the large truck. They all heard Jason tell her she never had to leave.

Johnny got behind the wheel in the SUV. "We are going to follow Cody."

"Hold on a sec." Francis moved from the back to the front so his friends could have some privacy.

"Shouldn't he follow us, since I know where the cabin is?" Liz asked from her position on Jason's lap.

"Liz, men don't ask for directions." Johnny said with a grin. "How have you reached your mid-twenties without realizing that?"

"I was kind of hoping you guys were more evolved." She said laughing some.

"Nope." Johnny said dropping the car into gear. Looking at the clock he saw Cody make a right turn at exactly the ten minute mark. It was a short drive to the cabin. His phone rang and the ID screen showed it was their friend so Johnny answered on speaker. "What's up?"

"Liz did you leave the front door open?" Cody wanted to know.

"I don't remember." Liz said trembling hard. Just being back here had her fisting her fingers in Jason's shirt. "I just remember running out to the truck."

"It's okay." Jason said rubbing her back again. "We won't let anything happen to you." He was thinking they should have brought more guys. That way he could have just taken her back home while his friends handled this part.

"Francis you stay here. Cody I'll go in with you." Johnny got out of the car and pulled his gun. By the time he got to the truck his friend was out with his side arm in his hands. "Hold on." Johnny's phone was beeping. He checked his messages. "We need the keys. Liz said we want the silver key on the small ring."

Cody pulled the keys from the ignition and stuffed them in his pocket. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Johnny said as they went to the open front door.

* * *

"You want me to grab the first aid kit?" Francis asked his boss as Johnny and Cody disappeared inside the building. He was going to get a blanket to cover Liz.

Jason looked at Elizabeth who just shook her head. "No." He told his friend. "Call the doc."

"I'm okay Jason." Liz didn't think an exam was necessary.

"How did you end up with bruises on your back?" Jason figured since they were sitting here he would get as much information as he could. That way she didn't have to talk about it later if she didn't want to.

"It happened after I tricked Logan into coming into the room. I had set a trap for him. My bra was stretched across the lower part of the doorway." In the dark the black lace was invisible. "He stumbled and when he fell I hit him on the head with my boot. Since I didn't knock him out I used my belt to choke him out. While he was trying to stop me he rammed us into the wall trying to shake me loose. It didn't work though. I guess I'm clingy." She was telling them what happened while looking at Jason's shirt. Getting this out now was good. Her memories were the sharpest but it wasn't pleasant.

"You're smart." Jason immediately responded. "I'm proud of how you were able to get away from Logan." He took the blanket from Francis and nodded a silent thanks before covering Elizabeth.

"I told him I was thirsty because I was hoping that if he had something in his hand he wouldn't be carrying his gun." Liz had rolled the dice and won. "I'm not sure I wouldn't have frozen if he was pointing his weapon at me. That gun was why we all got out of the car after he hit us."

"The windows on your car will be bulletproof when you get it back." Jason promised her. "So will the tires."

"Thank you." Liz was tired. It had been a very long night, and it still wasn't over. It wouldn't be over until she was in the penthouse. "I need to call everyone so they know I'm okay." They would be worried.

Jason handed her his phone and guessed at least one of the ladies would be waiting when he got Elizabeth back home.

* * *

Cody and Johnny made a sweep of the front room of the cabin before moving deeper into the building. They checked the bathroom as well and then moved onto what they were guessing was the room Liz was held in. "It seriously pisses me off that she was locked in here." Cody said extracting the keys from his pocket.

"Me too." Johnny agreed not bothering to whisper. The key in the lock was going to announce their presence. If Logan had gotten himself free, and he had another weapon he would have time to prepare for them. What worked in their favor was how the door opened. With it swinging toward them it meant Hayes couldn't hide behind the wood panel and get the jump on them. They would also be able to see more of the room faster. The Corinthos Morgan safe houses were set up the same way for those very reasons.

Cody nodded and when Johnny returned the gesture the former solider pulled the door open. Lying on the floor, not moving, was the man they were seeking. "His pulse is strong." Cody bent down and checked. "There's blood on the floor."

"Head injuries bleed a lot." Johnny was aware that Cody knew that. "She didn't kill him which was my main concern. Jason can take care of that."

"We now know not to piss her off." Cody said with a boyish grin. "They say it's always the quiet ones."

"You must live in terror then. Nadine is the quietest one in the bunch." Johnny just laughed. Liz was a close second though. If she didn't know you then she didn't let you in. It took the crew a while to earn her trust, but Jason had it from the first.

"Which is why I treat my lady like a queen. All that medical knowledge gives her the advantage in a fight." Cody got out a plastic binding strip that he wrapped around Logan's ankles before moving to his hands. He would see if Liz wanted her belt back. "We need to get you a girl so you can live in terror too."

"Bite your tongue. I'm way too young to settle down." Johnny joked as he put his gun away. "I'm already avoiding both Alexis and Diane because they keep trying to introduce me to nice women." He said putting nice in air quotes. "Don't make me add you to the list." He told his friend joking. Johnny wouldn't mind meeting someone nice. At the same time he wasn't looking forward to an endless series of blind dates. They never ended well for him.

"I have the entire Halo collection. You won't be avoiding me." Cody said standing up. "Odds or even?"

"Odds." Johnny said holding up his fist. After three throws Cody won, so O'Brien hefted Logan's deadweight. "He's heavier than he looks."

"It's all the stupidity inside him." Cody said following his friend to the front door. "Marco is waiting at the warehouse. He dispatched Phil, so at some point we'll pick him up. He'll follow me to the warehouse so that you can take Liz to her place, and then to the Towers."

"Sounds good." Johnny said unknowingly dumping Logan in the same place he had put Liz after taking her. "I don't think Jason will be over until late tomorrow at the earliest. Unless it takes Hayes longer to wake up."

"After the doc looks Liz over he's heading to the warehouse." Cody would stay during the exam and see how much damage Liz did. He really hoped Logan woke up with the world's worst headache.

"I hope she managed to crack his thick skull." Johnny slammed the door shut. "We'll follow you until Phil joins us." Just in case something happened. Johnny would give Jason an update while Liz was packing. For now he just got behind the wheel.

"Is he still breathing?" Liz asked in a quiet voice. She was very much aware that she might have killed Logan. Even though he had been breathing when she left that could have stopped at some point. "Be honest."

"He's still alive, and still out cold." Johnny met her gaze in the mirror. "Please don't ever throw one of your shoes at me." He tacked on to lighten the mood.

"Don't lock me in a room." Liz said smiling. Gallows humor was totally called for.

"Noted." Johnny started the engine and followed Cody back home.

* * *

Liz walked into a group hug when she entered penthouse four. Emily, Carly, Nadine, and Georgie were all waiting. She just let herself soak up the love. "I'm okay." Liz assured them. "He didn't hurt me, I promise."

"Tomorrow morning I think we should all go down and apply for gun permits. That way if anyone else tries to mess with us they will regret it." Carly had been ready to claw out the eyes of the asshole who took her friend.

"I'm getting a guard." Liz told them. "So I won't need the weapon permit. I'm also guessing we are all about to go through self-defense training." The same training the guys took.

"That's a good bet. I've managed to avoid it up until now, but I think I'm out of wiggle room." Emily put her arm around Liz's shoulders for another hug. She had been really scared. She and Carly just sat in the front parlor staring at the phone. Neither one of them was surprised when it finally rang and Sonny told them Jason had left to get Liz.

"I'm sorry I left early." Georgie said feeling guilty. "If my cab was following you he might not have tried anything." Witnesses could often deter a crime.

"I'm glad you weren't there." Liz gave her friend a squeeze. "You didn't need to live through that." Like her Georgie had been the victim of a violent crime at a young age.

"I've sobered up enough that I can bandage your wrists." Nadine pointed to the faint bruises that were already blooming. Hopefully they wouldn't get too bad.

"Jason's doctor will be here shortly." Liz smiled at her friend. "So you still get your day off."

"I can hang out if you like." Carly would have no problem fussing over her friend.

"I'm probably going to sleep for a good portion of the day. However if Jason needs to go out I will take you up on that offer." Liz promised her friend getting another hug. "For now you guys should head home. AJ is probably wondering where you are." She told Carly before looking over at Georgie. "Same with Milo." Then looking at Em. "And John." Her best friend's relationship with the heir to the Zacchara fortune had come as a surprise to a lot of people. Her brother most of all, but since Emily's boyfriend wasn't in the business Jason kept his nose out of his sister's personal life.

"Even when she is throwing us out Liz is so polite." Georgie said making the group laugh. Milo knew where she was. "If you end up calling Carly, call the rest of us too. We can plan another Girls' Night Out to balance this one out. No Robin this time." Jason wouldn't probably leave until after dark and by then they should all be free. Georgie was going to be observing her boss in court tomorrow. Even sick Diane was going to crush Scott Baldwin.

"I think she cursed us." Emily wasn't even trying to hold her snark in.

"I hate to say it, but I kind of agree with Em." Nadine sent an apologetic look towards Georgie. "We've been going out for a couple of years now and never had an issue. Then Robin joins us and everything goes to hell."

"The way to test that theory is to invite Robin back and see what happens." Liz said being a smartass. She didn't the think the short doctor had jinxed them.

"What will happen is people needing to be bailed out." Georgie said looking at Emily and Carly. The newly graduated law student could see fists flying if her cousin joined them again. "It's just easier for me to hang out with Robin alone. She's just going to have to make friends on her own. She can always hang out with Maxie." She said with a shrug.

"I have a feeling that the next few times we all get together, it's not going to involve a bar. Or if it does half the guards will be sitting there watching us." Liz pointed out. The level of overprotectiveness from the guys was about to go through the roof. She wasn't going to complain. "That will put a damper on things. Girls' Night In can be fun too."

"Sleepovers." Nadine said grinning.

"Liz is correct." Emily figured that John was going to request a guard for her. If Jason didn't just assign someone. The only person who might not end up with a security detail was Carly. Although AJ might hire someone. "Sleepovers can be fun, and we can still have tequila."

They all looked over as the door opened and the doctor walked in. The look of surprise on everyone's face would have been comical on any other night. Dr. Patrick Drake stood in the doorway big as life. It just seemed the height of irony that the man they spent part of their evening bashing was the mob doctor for the organization.

"You can't make this stuff up." Carly said summing things up perfectly.

"Nope. I guess it's time to get checked out." When she got the all clear Jason would relax even further. She got more hugs from her friends and then followed the doctor to the downstairs bathroom.

* * *

"We don't have any information on Zander." Sonny had been holding down the fort and fielding phone calls while everyone was out. "I spoke with Lorenzo, his guys are looking as well." The South American arms dealer was pissed at what had taken place. "He has agreed to turn Zander over to us if he finds him first. Lorenzo's one request is to be there when Smith is handled."

"Cody is taking Logan to the warehouse." Francis took over the reporting since Jason was taking Liz's bag upstairs. More than likely to his room. Francis expected that this whole situation was going to drastically change the relationship between his friends. He was thinking that some point soon they would be announcing that they were officially a couple. Which would be celebrated by everyone. "Liz kicked his ass."

"Is that right?" Sonny felt like a proud papa. "Not surprising. She's scrappy and she doesn't give up."

"Is she still down the hall?" Jason asked coming back.

"Yeah, she also has lethal shoes." Johnny was on the couch looking at his phone. "Cody is heading back to the Towers." Which meant his delivery had been made.

"The island or Puerto Rico?" Sonny looked at Jason.

The shift in topic wasn't at all confusing for anyone in the room. "Let me ask Elizabeth."

"Call me when she decides and I'll make the arrangements so that you don't have to." Sonny was waiting, like Johnny and Francis, to hear what the doctor had to say. "Who do you want as Liz's guard?"

Jason looked over at Johnny silently asking for input.

The Irishman gave it some thought. "Max would be a good fit. He's an outstanding senior guard, and at the moment he's not assigned to anyone." His last assignment had been Ava when she was dating Sonny. Everyone felt Max had earned a break when the relationship ended, and a pay raise. "I like working with him." Johnny was Jason's guard, mainly because the blonde would shake anyone else who took the assignment. "Liz also gets along well with him. Check with her."

"She told me to pick, but I'll run it by her." Jason was guessing that Elizabeth would be fine with this choice. The door opened down the hall and the conversation stopped. "How is she?" He needed to hear it from the doctor.

"Fine. Some light bruising on her wrists and ankles at the moment. I'm thinking that won't get much worse." Patrick started his report. He hadn't asked Liz to disrobe because it wasn't necessary. The lack of defensive wounds said she didn't have to fight off an attacker.

"What about her back?" Jason wanted to know.

"No bruising. I suspect Ms. Webber will be sore over the next few days. If it gets bad give me a call." She had told him what she went through. "Over the counter meds should handle any pain. Rest and relaxation is highly recommended. You will want to watch for signs of anxiety or PTSD. Ms. Webber said she knows what to look for." But she didn't go into detail.

Jason just nodded and looked at her. Having gone through therapy after being assaulted in high school she had the tools needed to deal with this event. He was thinking the fact that she took out Logan on her own would go a long way to making her recovery go smoothly. If she did need to talk to someone she knew who to call, or she could talk to him if that was what she wanted.

"I'm around if you need me." Patrick said before leaving to get driven over to the warehouse. He was told his second patient would need more medical care, and probably some stitches.

"See, I'm okay." Liz looked into four pairs of worried eyes.

"Okay. I'll head out then." Francis walked over and gave her a gentle hug. "Diane's going to want to see you with her own eyes sometime soon."

"I can be bribed into a visit if you make baked ziti." Liz gave him a grin. Francis was like a big brother and he didn't hide that he cared for her.

"So noted." He said stepping aside.

Johnny also gave Liz a gentle hug. "If you need anything I'm around." He would keep it simple.

"Good to know. I will not hesitate to call." Liz promised her friend. Johnny was another surrogate big brother. She never felt like an only child when they were around.

"What they said." Sonny said giving yet another hug. "Send Jason back to work when he starts getting on your nerves." He said with a wide smile.

"Not gonna happen." Liz knew he was joking. "Which means you might need a new partner." Sonny was like a favorite uncle. She wasn't close to either of dad's brothers, because they worked overseas, so all the family she found here in Port Charles was a blessing.

Jason was standing by the door which was a not so subtle nudge to his friends that he wanted them gone. He was only being patient because he knew they cared about her too. "I'll call you later in the day." He told Sonny. His partner just nodded as he followed his guys into the hall. "I put your things in my room." Jason told Elizabeth.

"I'm ready to start putting this night behind me. A shower is the perfect place to start." Liz said taking the hand he was holding out. "You are staying with me right?" She didn't want him on the sofa, or down the hall.

"Yeah." Jason needed her close. "When you come out of the shower I'll be waiting."

That was all she needed to hear.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 5

She got out of the shower feeling so much better. It was like a layer of slime had been cleaned off her skin. Being touched without her permission by men she didn't know was a trigger. So she was expecting nightmares as she processed what had been done to her. Having Jason close was going to help with that. Knowing Logan was gone would help even more.

She grew up in a family of medical personnel and the sanctity of life was something she learned at an early age. However there were times when justice needed to be swift and brutal. This in her opinion was one of them. Liz truly believed that she wasn't supposed to leave that cabin alive. Why else would Logan kidnap her in front of witnesses, or why would Zander let her know he was involved? Those things didn't add up to her being returned breathing. They added up to her never returning home to the people who loved her.

"Stop thinking about it Elizabeth. These are not the thoughts you need running through your head just before bedtime." She said trying to let the night go. She would be revisiting tonight often enough. There wasn't going to be any running from the memories because that was not a race she could win. That lesson was learned in high school. When she was younger she tried the denial route and almost had a nervous breakdown. Facing your demons was scary, but ultimately the only way to defeat them. She was strong enough to slay them, and smart enough to know when to shut down the thoughts for a while.

After moisturizing her face she put the lotion down and the sight of her skin care products next to Jason's just made her so happy. Moving in wasn't going to happen, he hadn't meant the offer when he made it. That had been the relief that she was okay talking. But if he did mean it she would have a difficult time not saying yes right away. A decision like that needed to be discussed first. However sleepovers were certainly going to be taking place, hopefully often. She would need to pick up items to leave here, after asking if it was okay first. Ready to go to bed she opened the door.

"Leave the light on. In case you need to get up at some point." Jason said from the side of the bed where he was sitting. After getting changed he sat down to wait for her to be done while trying not to worry.

"How come you aren't under the covers?" She asked coming over and standing between his legs. Looking over at the clock she winced a bit when she saw how late it was. "Sorry. I didn't realize I was in there that long." Time seemed to crawl in the cabin, but now it was flying by.

"I figured you would take a long shower." Jason said running his hand down her arm until he was able to take her hand in his. "I'm not in bed because I don't know which side of the mattress you prefer to sleep on."

"I'll take the left side." Liz knew that he would want to sleep closer to the door. He stood up and she had to grin. "I didn't picture you sleeping in sweats and a t-shirt."

"Yeah?" He asked holding up the blanket. "What did you picture me in?" As he watched she blushed slightly. "Or out of?"

"No comment." Liz said scooting down and stretching out. "This feels amazing." Sinking into a mattress had never felt so good in her life.

Jason took his shirt off because based on her blush she wasn't going to mind. At some point she would learn that he usually slept naked with sweats next to the bed in case he had to get up. If she always slept in pajamas, which were really cute, he was looking forward to at some point talking her into ditching them. But he was getting ahead of himself. "Come here." He requested once he was lying down. She slid over the soft sheets and the way she fit against him would have erased any doubts that might still exist about them belonging together.

"I'm exhausted." Liz said quietly willing her body and mind to relax. "I'm going to have nightmares." She warned him.

"I figured as much." Jason said rubbing her back. "I'll be here when you open your eyes."

"If you have to leave its okay." Liz said on the cusp of sleep.

"Not going anywhere." He promised her. "Get some rest." He felt her go limp against him and only then did he sleep as well.

* * *

She sat up shaking and breathing hard. The blankets rustled as Jason also sat up. This was the second time she had been pulled from sleep by a nightmare. Taking slow deep breaths she waited to see if she needed to make a run for the bathroom. The first bad dream had made her stomach roll.

"Do you need the trash can?" He asked quietly.

"No." Liz leaned back and he was right there. Her skin felt cold and the warmth of his skin was most welcome. "It was the same nightmare as the last time." She said kind of confused. "I thought for sure Logan touching me would be what haunted me." But the image that was appearing in her nightmare and scaring her was the gun. She could describe every single inch of the weapon. The site of the dark barrel being pointed at her was something that wasn't letting go.

"Being on the wrong end of a gun is scary." Jason was speaking from experience as he urged her closer. Glocks were not a regular part of her world. Having one pointed at her with someone on the other end who meant her harm was about as far from an everyday occurrence as things could get. What she was experiencing was normal. People who went through armed robberies often didn't remember who was holding them up but they could describe the gun to the police.

Liz just nodded. Her eyes were burning which meant the tears were about to start. She knew they were going to come at some point, and she had been hoping they would wait until she was in the shower again. After the vomiting this was probably the last thing Jason wanted to deal with. Throwing back the covers she tried to get out of bed.

"Don't go." Jason said bringing her back. "Don't run from me." The hitching of her breath let him know why she was attempting to leave. Since this position wouldn't be comfortable for her he took them back down to the mattress and urged her head to his shoulder. Her whole body was shaking and he just held on tight. As the tears slowed he used his hand to give her a scalp massage to try to stave off a headache. "I want to take you away so that you can rest. Would you like to go to the island or to Puerto Rico?"

"Which would be less stressful for you?" Liz asked, her cheek was resting on his chest and the sound of his heartbeat was under her ear.

"Either one is fine. Sonny has homes in both locations." Which was why Jason hadn't bothered to buy anything. When he went down he just stayed at his friend's compound. It was the same in both places. He never stayed in the main house. Instead he claimed one of the guest houses as his own and he hadn't ever taken anyone with him.

"Puerto Rico please. I've never been and it's supposed to be beautiful." Liz was kind of surprised that he was making this suggestion. Then she realized they probably wouldn't be leaving right away. "When do you want to leave?"

"Tomorrow." He let her know. When he looked down he could see that he had surprised her. "I want you to have some time to relax and I know you'll want to avoid your parents until the bruises fade." They were patchy on her wrists, but around her ankles they were dark circles. "Even if they don't notice the bruises, you might be stiff over the next few days and they'll notice that."

"What about Zander?" Liz knew that her ex was in the wind.

"The guys will find him while we are gone. I'll deal with Logan later tonight, assuming he wakes up." Jason said with a small smile. "He had to get some stitches. If he doesn't wake up today then I can deal with him when we get back as well." There was no rush.

"I'll need to go home and pack." Liz put her head back down.

"You can do that while I'm out, and then we can meet up at the plane." Jason told her. He could feel her relaxing against him. "Johnny suggested Max as your guard. How do you feel about that?"

"I like Max." Liz nodded her head. "I just don't know how much there will be for him to do. I spend most of the day at my studio." She owned a half a floor in a renovated factory. The large open air loft gave her room for her drafting table. There was space to house fabrics, and to photograph the models wearing her designs for the website.

The neighborhood had been crap when she first set up shop, but last year the property values started to rise. She was considering moving to a building where she could have her very own boutique on the ground floor and work space upstairs. It would also mean no neighbors because hers could be really loud at times.

"There will be plenty for him to do. Especially if you decide to move." Jason knew about her plans. She had been waiting for her profits to reach a certain level. She wanted to be able to buy the new building outright. Her reasoning had been that if the boutique didn't make it she could rent out the space, or even sell it. Considering her website very frequently sold out of items he didn't think she needed to worry about failing. "He can also help you interview models."

Liz had to laugh at that. "I'm sure that he would happily volunteer for that job. Since he's single I don't have to worry about his girlfriend giving me side eye. When would he start?"

"Tomorrow." Jason pulled up the covers to make sure Elizabeth stayed warm. "He would go on the trip with us. So would Johnny." Which would make his friend pout because he was going to want to help with the search for Zander.

"Who else will go?" Liz was starting to feel sleepy again. Maybe this time she could rest for more than an hour.

"No one. There are guards down there, so Cody will call down and have some assigned to back up Johnny and Max." Jason explained how it worked. They probably wouldn't even need the extra guards too often.

"I'm ready to try sleeping again. Thank you for letting me stay." She wouldn't have even tried to go to sleep at her place.

"I couldn't have slept if you weren't here." And by that he meant in his arms. He loosened his grip as she rolled over, then spooned up behind her. This was how she preferred to fall asleep and he had to admit to liking it as well. To be able to open his eyes and see her right away was going to be the best way to start his day.

* * *

During the night she rolled over and when she opened her eyes Jason was right there. His eyes were the purest shade of blue she'd ever seen in her life. In fact they were the first thing about him that caught her attention. Actually that wasn't true. The first thing that caught her attention had been his bike. Every time she saw it her inner biker babe would sit up and take notice. When he finally invited her out on a ride she said yes before he even finished the question.

"How are you feeling?" Jason wanted to know. She had slept for four hours without a nightmare. They could stay in bed longer if she wanted.

"Better." Liz knew that he was worried about her. "I think I'm ready to stop connecting with my inner sloth now." She told him with a sleepy smile.

"We don't have to get out of bed yet." Jason was very much enjoying lying here with her.

"Don't tempt me." It wouldn't take much to talk her into just staying here. Especially if he was going to stay with her. Having him so close made her feel secure, it also made her very much aware of him on a physical level. It wasn't only when she was awake, her subconscious had been aware of him as well. He had appeared in more than a few of her dreams, but the ones she had this morning after finally falling into a deep sleep made her blush to think of them.

He watched her skin flush some and wondered what that was about. "You are one to talk about temptation." Jason couldn't resist that opening. Lying with her body tucked into his had been the most delicious kind of torture. Her firm bottom had been pressed against his groin and he had spent a good portion of their time in bed hard as a spike.

"What does that mean?" Liz wanted to know.

"You feel better in my arms than anything I've ever known. Your skin is so incredibly soft. Your eyes sparkle and shine. And on more than one occasion I've completely missed everything you've said because I was too busy looking at your lips." As he watched she bit the lower one and his body started stirring. "I have been wanting to know if they are as soft as they look for a while now."

She hadn't expected all that. The change in their relationship, even though neither one of them had said anything had already happened, meant a deeper level of intimacy. It meant being able to share thoughts like the ones Jason just expressed instead of keeping them to herself. Or she could just act on them. Reaching up she cupped his cheek and urged him forward until their lips touched in a barely there kiss. "So?" She asked attempting to pull back.

Jason's fingers speared through her soft hair to keep her still. He dipped his head and kissed her again. Like the first one it started out light. Them learning how their mouths fit together. It didn't take long at all for the kiss to change. He slanted his head so that he could kiss her harder. It was his turn to nibble on that plump bottom lip and in response she opened to him. With a moan that rumbled up from his chest he got his first taste of her sweetness and he knew that kissing her was going to be addictive.

As their mouths mated she let her hands move over his back feeling the muscles ripple under her fingers. When she moved to his bicep she was amazed that she couldn't get her entire hand around it. The next thought was that his strength wasn't something she needed to fear because he would never use it against her. She moaned this time as her fingers glided across his abs. She had felt them through his shirt when on the bike, but holy moly she had no idea they were this sculpted.

Wanting to feel more of her Jason pulled her closer and rolled them so that she was partially under him. The exploration of her fingers was making him tremble. The more she touched him the harder he got. He had to take his mouth from hers or pass out. The sight of her swollen lips had him swearing low. The small dent in her chin got kissed before he moved down the column of her neck. He would need to be careful to not leave marks where others could see them, but lower on her body it would be fine. The primitive male in him liked the idea of her wearing his love bite.

Her fingers ran through his short hair when his lips stopped moving and he rested his forehead on her chest. Just below the neckline of her shirt. They were both breathing hard and her clothes felt itchy on her skin. "When was the last time you had a physical?" She wanted to know.

"Three months ago." Jason was trying to get his body back under control but it wasn't working. He knew that it would be incredible when they finally got more physical, but even he hadn't expected her to incite such a hunger in him. "You?"

"Last month." Liz stopped moving her fingers and tugged lightly on his hair. Following her unspoken request he looked up. She noted immediately that his eyes were darker. That was one sign he was definitely feeling the spark between them. The other was the pressure against her hip. "I'm healthy, and I'm on birth control."

He was actually starting to tremble harder. "I'm healthy too. I don't have any condoms in the apartment." There hadn't been a need. After he broke up with his last girlfriend he took a break from dating to assess why he kept picking women that he should not be getting involved with. Women more interested in being Jason Morgan's girlfriend, than being Jason's girlfriend because there was definitely a difference.

Liz looked into his eyes and made a decision. Having been in more than one relationship she knew that the feelings she had for Jason were not in any way ordinary. She was home with him. All the parts of her were accepted and celebrated by the man she was lying in bed with. "Since I'm on birth control, we don't need to use condoms. I've never said that to a man before." She wanted him to know.

"I've never been with a woman without one." Jason said linking the fingers of her right hand with his left one. "If something happens I won't abandon you. I need you to know that." No birth control was one hundred percent but honestly he didn't want a latex barrier between them. He wanted to feel all of her surrounding him.

"I have no doubt about that." She said keeping her eyes on his as he rose up to kiss her again. His hands cupped her face before moving down her body to the hemline of her shirt, he paused silently asking permission. Her response was to reach down and remove the colorful fabric.

His eyes stayed on hers and then he looked down at the most beautiful pair of breasts he'd ever seen in his life. They would be a perfect handful and her dusky pink nipples were making his mouth water. Not feeling the need to deny himself he leaned forward and captured a peak. When she moaned and arched against him he knew he was getting it right. That was important to him, he wanted her to be more satisfied than ever before.

His sweats needed to go so she pushed against the fabric, and was delighted to discover he was commando underneath. She very quickly discovered a body part that filled her hand so that her fingers just met. Unable to resist she started stroking and was rewarded with a moan so deep it was almost a growl. Clearly he enjoyed the attention.

He needed to move her hands because he was already riding the edge, and if she didn't stop this would be over before it started. It just felt so damned good. From somewhere he found the resolve to take her hand off his cock. "I need to be inside you." He said feeling almost feral.

Instead of answering she pushed her pajama bottoms and underwear over her hips. She was all for moving this along. They had time to go slow later, at the moment she was feeling greedy. She wanted to know what it was like to have him moving deep inside her.

"Are you ready for me?" He didn't want to hurt her.

"Feel for yourself." She said bringing his hand to her core. Not only was she already wet, but she was started to ache with her need. "Hurry."

Her honey coated his fingers and it made him want to roar in satisfaction. There was no need to wait so he didn't. Lining them up he pushed inside her waiting body telling himself to go slow. "Okay?" He asked before going further.

"Oh, yes!" Liz said tilting her hips to urge him to keep moving. "Don't stop."

Placing his hands on her hips he helped her maintain the position she was in and moved deeper into her channel. She was so tight that he had to rock before he could fully seat himself. He was sweating as he pulled back and then pushed forward again. He could feel her heartbeat beside his and that just served to highlight the intense connection they shared.

When Jason started to stroke it stole her breath. They fit together like he was made just for her. She could feel him not only where they were joined, but all over her body. Pleasure on this level was not even something that she was aware existed. Her fingers tangled in the sheets as her body strained to hold off. She didn't want it to end, but he was pushing her higher and higher every time he moved inside her body.

"Come for me Elizabeth." Jason changed positions so that he was no longer on his knees but was over her. Now he could kiss her as he moved deeper and faster inside her. He was also moving harder with each stroke and Elizabeth was making the most incredible sounds that spurred him on. The problem was that he had reached the end of his restraint. Leaving her hanging wasn't an option so she needed to peak.

When he shifted it changed the angle of his penetration, making it even more intense which she didn't think was possible. It was just too much and she exploded. She turned her face into the space where his shoulder and neck met so that his scent surrounded her as the pleasure moved through her.

When Elizabeth's inner muscles squeezed him tight he gave up. There was no stopping the climax that seemed to be pulled from him. He put his head down on her shoulder as his hips continued to pump and he emptied himself inside her. When he had nothing left to give his body relaxed and he let her take his weight before moving to her side. Reaching over Jason pulled her close because he still wanted to feel her skin against his. "Feel good?" He asked checking in.

"Amazing." She said cuddling close. "I'm very much looking forward to doing that again. Soon." Liz looked up at him and grinned.

"So are we sharing a room when we go away?" Jason liked that she was putting her wants out there. That showed trust.

"A room, a shower, and anywhere else I can have you." Liz leaned up and gave him a kiss. Placing her head on his shoulder she just relaxed and enjoyed being in her guy's arms.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 6

"Thanks." Liz said smiling as Jason held her chair out. When he leaned forward she raised her head to receive his kiss. She had noticed that after making love earlier he had been kissing and touching her more. She was very much enjoying that. She wasn't highly tactile, but he was going to be the exception.

"Be right back." Jason said going into the kitchen and returning with a plate. "I made you an omelet." He also brought over a mug of tea for her. He sat down joining her despite the fact that he wasn't eating anything. They were on the terrace enjoying the warmth of the late spring sunshine.

"Thank you." Liz picked up her fork and started eating. "I love your omelets."

"I know." Jason had made them for her on numerous occasions. He was becoming more confident in the kitchen with some help from Sonny. Elizabeth was definitely the better cook of the two of them. She cooked for him at least one a week and Jason always looked forward to an evening in her company. Now that they were a couple he was guessing the number of meals they shared would go up. There was a way to ensure that. "I was serious."

"About what?" Liz asked putting more eggs in her mouth. She was hungry. Normally when she was upset or stressed the opposite was true. When her grandmother passed away she lost five pounds between the time she died and the funeral.

"The offer to move in." Jason put his mug down and leaned on the table. "It's not as crazy as it sounds." He said ready to convince her to his way of thinking. They hadn't even gone on a real date yet, and he was talking about them living together.

"We just made a major change to our relationship. We should probably let that settle first." Liz was trying to be mature about this decision and not just go pack up all her stuff. She didn't want him to get sick of her always being around so soon in their relationship.

"We both knew this change was coming. So it's not a surprise." Jason reached over and snagged one of her hands since she was done eating. "We've been heading here for years." Because they took their time, they were stronger than most new couples. "I know more about you than anyone else in my life. I've seen your bad habits and you've seen mine. When you come over, I hate when you leave."

"I hate leaving here too. Or when you leave my place." Liz had no problem admitting that.

"Going all in can seem a little scary." Jason said starting to smile. "But I think that we are up to the challenge."

"It doesn't seem scary at all." Liz answered his smile with one of his own. "Which is why I'm asking if this is the right move. Our systems are still humming with endorphins, and I'm dealing with what happened with Logan. Right now living alone is not something I'm at all interested in." She explained what she was thinking. "It's always said that you shouldn't make a major life decision when your emotions are running high." He was still in full on protection mode.

Jason tugged on her hand and when she came over he pushed his chair back so Elizabeth could sit on his lap. "You are worried that you are using me? Or that I'm trying to rescue you?" He thought that was what she was getting at.

"Yes. Although the worry that I'm hiding behind you, or that you are trying to shelter me from life, is really very small. But I think it's important that we admit those impulses are there." Liz let him know. They could talk about anything, and it was good to see adding sex to the equation wasn't changing that. Yes it would change other things, but the lines of communication had to stay open.

"You're right it is important that we not lie about the fact that Logan kidnapping you does affect things. You are also right in that it's not the main reason for me making this request or you accepting it." Jason wanted her to know.

"The main reason for me to say yes it that I want to be with you. That's really what my decision comes down to. What we have is new, but it's already strong. Stronger than any relationship I've had before. Being intimate with one another has enhanced the connection we share, which is how it should be." Liz was opening her heart to him. She was falling in love with him and that made her so happy.

"I don't think you're using me. I'm your guy you should be able to turn to me when you feel scared or hurt or just because. I should be able to turn to you for those same reasons." Jason linked their fingers while grinning. "The second part is true though. I do want to protect you, that's an instinct that will never go away. I want you here, or at a house if you don't want to stay here. I do think it was very mature of you to not just leap into the decision." Neither one of them was impulsive by nature so he got her stopping to take a moment to think about this. That level of maturity was another reason he was falling in love with her. She was an adult, and that was sexy.

"I love it here." Liz leaned forward and gave him a kiss that was supposed to be short but wasn't. "If I leave my keys can a crew bring my things over while we are gone?" Decision made.

"They can bring your things over today." Jason just needed to make a call. He was ready to do this.

"My clothes and personal items can come over first. I'll need to figure out what to do with my furniture." This felt so incredibly right.

"You can redecorate." He let her know. Furniture was not something he was overly attached to.

Liz just laughed. "I created the current look, so no I'm not going to change it." She loved the warm and homey feel of the penthouse. Lots of earth tones that would relax you at the end of the day. Her personal stamp was already on what was now their home. "In fact your place and my former apartment look a lot alike." She said that with a wide smile.

"I noticed that." Jason just had more furniture than she did. But it was in the same style and general color palette. "You have more accent pieces and more art. Those things will look good here."

"That they will." Liz gave him another quick kiss. "I'll take my plate in and you can call the crew. I'd like for them to bring everything over tomorrow after we are gone." Putting things away would distract from her day with Jason.

"That will not be a problem." Jason stood up and followed her inside. He would call the crew first, and then call Trent so that a key could be made for Elizabeth.

"The crew is all set for tomorrow. When we leave in the morning just drop your keys off with Trent." Jason stood up as she came down the stairs. When she walked over to where he was waiting the urge to kiss her started pressing down on him. So he did. Kissing wasn't something he did a lot of with past girlfriends but with Elizabeth it was becoming an obsession.

"So what shall we do now?" Liz wanted to know.

"I was thinking a bike ride." Jason needed to get them out of the penthouse before he threw her over his shoulder and took them back upstairs. He had no doubt that he would have her again, soon, but they weren't going to spend the entire day in bed.

"I will never say no to that. Fortunately my things are already in the penthouse." Liz took his hand and pulled him over to the closet. Last weekend he had picked her up for a day trip on the bike. They ended up back at the Towers before getting a call inviting them out with Cody and Nadine. They took the SUV because it had started raining so her jacket and helmet had just remained here. The boots she had been wearing last night because they were stylish, comfortable, and looked great with jeans.

A grin spread across his face when she slipped into her leather jacket. He had offered to purchase the riding equipment for her. The offer was declined which wasn't that surprising. Elizabeth rarely let him buy her anything, always saying she didn't need much. That would be changing now that she was his girlfriend. Not long after that conversation she called him up and asked to go for a ride. The white leather jacket and matching helmet had been a surprise. She just smirked and said that she wanted to still be stylish while zooming down the highway.

"Would you like go to nowhere or ride along the cliff roads?" He wanted to know as he opened the door.

"That is a very tough call." Liz loved riding to both locations. The ride along the cliff roads had been what inspired her painting The Wind. The urge to create it had been somewhat surprising because she hadn't put a picture on canvas since her college art classes. But that image just wouldn't leave her. It was in her studio. She was going to bring here because she wanted it in their home.

The cliff roads was a longer ride, but nowhere would mean a ride out plus them stopping to hang out. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Would you mind swinging by the post office before we go on our ride?"

"Not at all." Jason responded as they stepped into the elevator.

"Then I'd like to go to nowhere." She thought the peaceful atmosphere would help keep the relaxed vibe of the day going. Liz was very much in the moment, but in the back her mind memories of last night were trying to push forward. This was normal, and she couldn't ignore them indefinitely, they just didn't get center stage right now. "I want to apply to change my address before we go out. It can take up to two weeks for that to go through so that gives me time to get my loft cleaned, and painted. I also need my lease broken."

"Diane can handle the paperwork when she's feeling better. A crew can handle everything else." Jason escorted his girl over to where his Fat Boy Lo was parked. Last year he had gotten a new bike and he took her along as he picked the parts for the custom machine. She found the process fascinating, and he had driven from the dealership right to her apartment the day he picked it up so she would be the first to see it. "Anything else you need to do for the move while we are out?"

"No. This will be the easiest move I've ever had." Liz smiled up at him before putting her helmet on her head. Once Jason was on the Harley, she mounted up as well. Shortly after that they were rolling out of the garage and speeding down the road.

* * *

"I love it here." Liz said as they walked down the path to the tree where they generally sat when they were out here. "How did you discover this place?" They hadn't ever talked about that.

"Driving around one night. I was still living at the mansion and I'd had another fight with my parents and grandfather, I jumped on the bike and started riding." Jason helped her over an uneven patch of ground. "I had only owned the bike for about a week at that point and I hadn't really been out much. I almost drove off the bridge." He could laugh about that now but it had scared the crap out of him at the time.

"Seriously?" Liz stopped and looked at him. Nowhere had a bridge that had been broken during a storm. The drop off was huge which was why people were discouraged from coming out here.

He hadn't meant to scare her. "Seriously." If he could lie he would have backtracked some, but softening the story couldn't happen. "I haven't driven out onto the bridge since." He kept the fact that the bridge was unstable enough that it had shook hard as he backed the Harley up. Jason sat down and help out his hand. "Have a seat." Normally she sat beside him, today she sat on his lap.

"So what's been going on in your life that I don't know about?" Jason asked her. Even as often as they talked, he still missed things. She could say the same. With them living together that would no longer be the case.

"I think I found a location for my boutique." Liz had been planning on sharing this over the weekend because she would hopefully have more information.

"Where at?" Jason was hoping that she had picked a nice neighborhood. The location of her loft had spiked everyone's blood pressure when she first moved in. Sonny had come over to the penthouse and ranted for almost an hour ending with a demand that Jason go make her move. Even her parents had spoken up and they rarely noticed what their daughter did.

It was almost like she could hear the monologue running through his head. Not laughing at the fact that he was bracing himself for her response was hard.

"It's across the park from the hotel." Liz told him. "Carly was the one to call and tell me about it." The fact that her friends unconditionally supported her meant a lot because Liz had met a wall of resistance when she told her parents this was what she planned on doing with her life. They had just assumed she was going into medicine. Her parents had come around when it was clear that she wasn't going to be moving back home because she was broke. "Since I've expanded my line each season for the past few years, I think now is a good time for my own shop. I have enough product to fill a store."

Elizabeth had started her career with just active wear. Then when she was feeling brave she had added daywear. Things like fun dresses for the summer, graphic tees, and jackets. Next a corporate line had followed after her mother complained that women's professional clothing didn't move well with her body when she was at the hospital. This past winter she had added coats and jackets. For the coming fall, that line should be arriving next month which might work well with her new shop, Liz had decided it was time to go glam. So ball gowns would be making their debut in her catalog of clothing. She was hoping to get some of the Nurses' Ball business, as well as snagging some of the corporate holiday party shoppers. She was already looking ahead as well. A line of lingerie was teasing at her brain. Liz was looking to dress women from the inside out, before maybe turning her attention to men. She still wasn't sure about that. If she did go there it wouldn't be for another few years still. Port Charles didn't have a home grown couture designer and she wanted to fill that gap.

Having high profile clients also boosted sales. Her friends were loyal customers, coming to the studio to shop because she didn't want them to pay shipping. Emily had even appeared in the paper in one of Liz's ink stained silk shift dresses, which caused the website to crash. Diane made her cry when she came in and bought the entire corporate line after trying on one suit. Even Jason's grandmother, Mrs. Q., had been seem wearing items. That had left Liz speechless.

"The building that has been sitting empty for the past two years?" Jason asked pulling up his mental map. An unoccupied space on what was essentially lower Main Street was not something the city council was happy about. It didn't reflect well on the harbor town's image. They had started offering all kinds of incentives, like a tax break, when the building began to look abandoned. Still no one was interested. Until now apparently. "What shape is it in?"

"I'm not sure, we haven't been inside." Liz said shrugging her shoulders. "The reason the last owner moved was because of foreclosure, and the guy did some damage before leaving." Probably out of spite. That much was in the seller's disclosure. "Because it's a foreclosure I have to take it as is. Diane said I have room to negotiate the price down some because no one else is even interested, and because it's just sitting there." She explained to him. "The foot traffic that will walk by the shop already has me excited."

Port Charles was a growing city, but small businesses wasn't an area that was rapidly expanding. They were known as the city with not only the top teaching hospital in the country, but cutting edge medical care. Bigger businesses were booming and the entire region was profiting from that. A new convention center just opened which was bringing in business for the hotels. A section of the water front had just been redone into a family friendly pier which was attracting vacationers. New restaurants were opening. Now the city council wanted to encourage other small business to grow so those who came to visit spent their money here.

Jason had to smile as she started rambling. Elizabeth was practically glowing with her excitement. He loved it when she got like this. What he loved even more was that it didn't have to be something big to get this reaction. He had brought back a piece of unformed red glass from a recent trip to Italy. He was going to use it as a paperweight, since he now had an office, but she had fallen in love with. In fact she had spent almost an hour looking at how it reflected the light, and in her next line he saw several pieces that were influenced by it. "How much is the building?"

"Enough that I had to breathe into a paper bag after Diane told me." Liz still got nervous thinking about that number. "She's going to try to negotiate the price down, like I mentioned, and the tax break will help." If she bought the building it came with a ten year tax abatement since it was listed as a fixer upper. "It's going to wipe out almost all my overhead." The risk was worth it though. Liz was convinced this was the moment she had been working for. "No, you can't buy it for me." She saw the question in his eyes.

Jason leaned forward and kissed her. Yeah, he was about to make that offer. "You need to do this on your own."

"Not exactly. I need to pay for the shop on my own. I need to be able to point to it and say I did that." Liz got that on some level she was still trying to prove to her parents that she had made the right choice. She also knew that from this point forward Jason would be there to support her emotionally, and yes financially if she needed it.

"Does that include renovations?" He wanted to know.

"I was going to talk to Cody about that. Since he owns a renovation company." Liz had been surprised to learn that the former solider was actually also a master carpenter. It was how he relaxed, and the company offset his illegal income.

"He's not going to charge you." Jason said laughing. Cody thought of Elizabeth like a little sister.

"I didn't say I was going to hire him." She said smiling wide. "Just that I was going to talk to him." Realistically he wasn't going to let anyone else do the work, so she was already prepping herself to argue with him about paying. Even if it was just for the supplies.

"Good luck with that. I'm going to stay out of that discussion." Jason would let them fight that battle, and he would assuage his girlfriend's guilt when she lost.

"I'm just going to give him a steep discount on my clothes, which he will give to Nadine." Liz knew she wasn't going to win that talk.

"Smart." Jason laughed harder. "As your boyfriend do I get a discount too?"

"I don't think I have anything you'll look good in." She said with a smile. "You have really wide shoulders."

"Brat." He said tugging on one of her curls. "I meant for when I buy gifts for my grandmother or my mom. I'm not buying anything for Em."

Liz knew that Jason was not a fan of his sister's hemlines. Em had amazing legs and she liked to rock a miniskirt. Liz wasn't going to tell her guy that she approved of her friend's style. "I could be persuaded into giving you a discount, in exchange for some kisses."

"It would need to be a deep discount because my kisses are not cheap." He was enjoying this conversation. When they were together he was always a lot lighter. With as stressful as his job could be he needed that.

"Your lips are pretty amazing." She leaned forward and kissed him.

"You don't know the half of it." Jason said letting his voice drop to a husky whisper. "The next time we are in bed together I'd be happy to show you."

"Oh my." She said fanning herself. "I hope you have the skills to back up that swagger Mr. Morgan." There was no doubt in her mind he did.

He gave her a slow sexy smile as his phone rang. "Morgan."

"Hey." Johnny knew that his boss was not home. He also knew that Jason had left the Towers with Liz, but this was information the blonde was going to want. "Sorry to interrupt your afternoon, Logan is awake."

"Is that right?" Jason's smile turned feral. "I'm out with Elizabeth, so that has to wait." There were times he had to drop everything for work, this wasn't one of them.

"He's not going anywhere." Johnny pointed out.

"That's true. Can you please call Sonny for me and tell him Puerto Rico?" Jason had forgotten to call earlier. Asking the guys to do things for him wasn't common, but he wanted to give his partner time to set everything up.

"Are you making me go?" Johnny was hoping to hear the word no.

"Of course I am." Jason said laughing. "I'm hanging up now because you are cutting into time with my girlfriend." Just like that he made it official.

"I'm going to pout throughout the trip." Johnny said already starting. "Bye." He had to go tell everyone that Jason and Liz were dating. Getting gossip first almost made up for having to leave. Almost.

"If you need to leave its fine." This wouldn't be the first time plans of theirs had to change because of work.

"No. Logan is awake." Jason shared with her what he could. "He can wait."

She got quiet and nodded.

"I can go now if you need me to." Jason told her.

"Logan isn't really the problem." Liz started and then stopped. "He is part of the problem. The bigger issue is Zander. I want to know why he had me snatched. Based on how we ended I can't think it was for something good." She couldn't help the shiver that ran through her.

"He won't hurt you again." Jason said looking into her blue eyes. He could see unease, and some fear.

"I know." Liz leaned into Jason. "Believe me I know."

"Want to get back on the bike and ride some more?" Once Zander was located Jason would get the answer to that question.

"Yeah." Liz told herself to let it go.

"Come on." He helped her to her feet. He would send Max a message to meet them at Elizabeth's apartment in about an hour. For now they would just concentrate on the road.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 7

"What are you doing here?" Liz asked grinning as she walked into the penthouse. She was wheeling her large suitcase behind her and had a garment bag thrown over her shoulder. Max was carrying two other bags and her helmet. "Thanks." He had grabbed the headgear before she could pick it up.

"You're welcome Liz." He had offered to handle all the luggage but she declined. "Call me if you leave the building."

"I'm in for the night." She promised him taking the helmet then watching him put the bags he had carried up on the floor next to her wheeled one. "Have a good night."

"I will. See you in the morning. Emily." He said wishing the ladies a good night.

"What's with the bags?" Emily asked looking her friend over. Liz looked sorta rested. By that the business major meant that her friend didn't look as tired as expected, but the skin under her eyes was dark which meant she could use more sleep. "Also where is Jason?"

Liz put her jacket away and then put her helmet on the shelf that Jason added for her. "Your brother is working. The bags are because we are going away." She came over and sat next to her friend. "I answered yours, so answer mine."

"I came to check on you." Emily said like it was obvious. "Also to tell you that Carly is gone."

"Gone? That sounds ominous." Liz looked over at her friend.

"AJ whisked her off." Emily leaned forward to put the book she had been reading on the table. "He was seriously freaked about what happened last night." John hadn't been too pleased either. He had already been on the phone with Sonny since he couldn't reach Jason. Her brother's partner confirmed that all the ladies were getting guards that would be with them when they went out. That included Carly. It was non-negotiable. "My brother's response was to decide that they were going to London until the fall."

"How epic was that fight?" Liz wanted to know. Carly hated to be dictated to.

"He bought her another hotel." Emily said grinning. "One in need of a total makeover."

"Master level move." Liz knew that Carly wouldn't have been able to resist that. "She's going to take a pound of flesh off of him at some point for being highhanded."

"She will, too bad we won't get to see that." Emily was in complete agreement. "That hotel is also going to be gorgeous when she's done. I couldn't believe how the Metro Court looked when she was finished." Em got out her phone. The hotel had been the Port Charles Hotel until a fire struck. AJ turned the business over to his wife who took the opportunity to rebrand and give it an upgrade. "This is what the new hotel looks like now."

Liz scrolled through some of the pictures. "Whoever owned this establishment last decorated in the seventies. Possibly maybe earlier." It looked like something out of a period drama. Or horror movie. "That is a lot of shag carpeting."

"Carly sent me those pictures before they took off about three hours ago. She said she would call you when they get settled at the homestead." The Quartermaine family had a luxury apartment in the city for anyone in the family to use when in London. At some point Emily was hoping to show Liz around the European city. "Where are you off to?"

"Puerto Rico." Liz knew it was fine to talk to Emily about this. "Your brother said we were leaving tomorrow, but he didn't say at what time." She got out her phone and sent a text to Nadine and Georgie. If Jason was with Logan, odds were good their guys would be as well. They may as well all hang out together.

"It's gorgeous there." Emily had been several times including just this past Christmas during her break. She liked to stay in the hotel, but she was guessing her brother and best friend would be staying on Sonny's compound.

"I've seen your pictures." Liz knew that Jason would make sure she saw all the fun spots. "And when I get back you'll see my pictures."

"You have swimwear correct? You have to get in all that blue water." Emily looked at the clock. It wasn't too late to go shopping if necessary. Hell they could go raid Liz's workroom.

"Calm your jets missy." Liz laughed at her friend. "We are not going out." Like most designers she wore her own creations, but she supported others in the industry as well. So it wasn't uncommon to see her shopping downtown. "I have something for splashing around in the water, and if I didn't I'm sure I could pick up something on my trip."

"Bikinis?" Emily was trying to get information on the relationship between Jason and Liz. Him taking her away could mean they were no longer just friends, or that they would no longer be just friends by the time they returned.

"That wasn't even subtle." Liz gave her best friend a look.

"I'm a little sister. We don't do subtle." She said with a sunny grin. "We are all about getting the information we want by any means necessary."

"Have you ever called a runner?" Liz completely switched topics just to annoy Emily. When her friend huffed she knew it had worked.

"Actually no." Emily crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Liz. "I just call Jason, or if something is being dropped off he calls me to let me know what is coming. I would guess that Max can help you. It is rude to ignore a question." She said with a sniff, and tried really hard to not start smiling. No one messed with her like Liz.

"Good point." Liz should have thought of that. A knock sounded and the door opened. "Yes?" Paulie was on post at the moment.

"Ms. Crowell and Ms. Jones are here." He announced. "Trent also sent this up." He said bringing over an envelope.

"They can come in, and thank you Paulie." He walked over to hand her the envelope. She would have come over to where he was standing. What was inside wasn't a surprise to her. She didn't realize it was ready or she would have stopped by the office and picked it up.

"How are you feeling?" Nadine asked swinging into nurse practitioner mode.

"Honestly, a little out of sorts." Liz was starting to feel the effects of what she went through. The bruises around her wrists and ankles were darker. The webbing between her thumb and forefinger on both hands was bruising as well, from how hard she was gripping the belt. It was worse on the left than the right, the same was true of the pain level. Her shoulders, upper arms, and neck were also sore from how tightly she was pulling on the belt. Lastly she was tired from a lack of sleep.

The last one she could rest and deal with. The bruises she paid no mind to. The aches however would be hard to ignore. Tomorrow not only would she hurt more, but she was probably going to start stiffening up. The day after that would be worse, and three days from now she would hardly be able to move. Unless she took preventive measures. A massage might be a good idea, and a soak was a must. Jason's bathroom had a Jacuzzi tub which she would use tonight.

"I got Patrick to write you a prescription for extra strength ibuprofen." Nadine said taking the bottle out of her bag. "It will help with the soreness without knocking you out."

"You are a life saver." Liz was just going to ask a runner to go get her a bottle.

"Save some of that hero worship for me. I picked you up some bath bombs. They will not only make soaking more enjoyable but they will leave you smelling amazing." Georgie had stopped at the store over after leaving court. "They are vanilla scented."

"My other friends brought gifts." Liz said teasing Em.

"I'm going to pay for dinner." Em told her friend because no she didn't bring anything. "I also came bearing gifts. Well not really gifts because you can't keep it." She said pulling over her bag. "Ta da!"

"Heathers!" Liz, Nadine, and Georgie all said in unison.

"Christian Slater at his finest." Emily just grinned. They all loved this movie, and they always watched it whenever possible. "I thought it would be fun to kick back and watch while we eat."

"That is a plan." Georgie loved that movie. "Sushi?"

"Not tonight. We are only going to dine on the finest the city has to offer this evening." Emily looked at Liz.

"Eli's?" The designer guessed.

"Yup." Emily knew that was Liz's go to place for takeout. "I'm even going to order their signature dessert, the mudslide cake."

"That will be the perfect way to celebrate my news." Liz said opening the envelope in her hand and showing her friends the shining silver key. "I'm moving into the penthouse."

"Shut up!" Emily said so happy she was having trouble finding the right words. There was no way Liz was talking about her and Jason being roommates.

"We are definitely going to have to celebrate." Nadine was thrilled for her friend.

"When you feel better we will do the jump up and down thing." Georgie was so happy for Liz. "How come you didn't wait for Carly to arrive?" They were missing a person.

"She's on her way to London." Liz filled in. "Since I'm leaving tomorrow I wanted to share my news before I go."

"Where are you going?" Nadine wanted to know.

"Jason is taking me to Puerto Rico to relax. That way I'm not spending my time trying to avoid my parents while I'm sore and colorful." Liz put her key away so that she didn't drop it. Her keys were in her purse so after she dug them out she would put the new key on.

"We missed a lot of stuff in half a day." Nadine said laughing. Jason was not wasting any time. "As a medical professional I have to concur with Jason's suggestion of rest. Everyone knows that to really relax you have to have sand." She said being silly.

"You will love the resort." Georgie had been down once after she and Milo started dating. He took her down for a week when school ended last year. She was looking forward to going back. "You will love the island in general." She amended her statement.

"Have you been?" Liz asked Nadine. The designer was thinking no.

"No." The nurse said shaking her head. "Cody has mentioned us going down and it will probably happen on my next vacation." Nadine was terrified of flying, so she had to psych herself up to get on a plane despite the fact that she would probably sleep through the flight. Even one as nice as the Corinthos Morgan jet. So far every vacation they went on they did road trip style. Her guy was extremely patient with her. She was seeing Dr. Collins about this fear because she knew that Cody wanted to show her more of the world.

"I plan on taking plenty of pictures, so it will be like you are practically there." Liz smiled at Nadine. Her friend was working on her fear.

"I will hold you to that." Nadine was excited for Liz because she knew that her friend hadn't been down to the island either. "Right now I'm going to get you a glass of water so you can take some pain meds and start to feel better."

"I'm going to order dinner, and then I'll call Max to figure out how to get the food picked up." Emily would call from the other side of the room.

"I will sit here and you can regale me with the tale of Jason asking you to move in. Don't skip the good parts since Emily won't be around." Georgie said moving to the couch. The good part remark was a joke, she didn't expect her friend to talk about what she and her guy did in private.

* * *

"Where is he?" Jason walked into the warehouse. He had just dropped Elizabeth off at her apartment. Max had been sitting on her front stoop waiting for them to arrive. The guard seemed to be enjoying the view because Elizabeth had a lot of female neighbors.

"In the back." Johnny held up his hands and Jason tossed over the keys to his bike. The green eyed guard was one of the few people that was trusted enough to handle the Harley. Later Jason would be sore so driving the machine home might not be possible. Or it might be, Johnny had seen both scenarios. "How was the bike ride?"

"Good." Jason was smiling as he answered. "We went out to nowhere."

"You should just buy that spot." Johnny told his friend. "Or have you tried?"

"It's not for sale. It was donated to Port Charles University as preserved green space on the condition that they never sell it. They use it boost wildlife numbers." Jason had indeed asked Diane look into it.

"So you're trespassing when you are out there?" Johnny wanted to know.

"No." Jason replied as they reached the room where their prisoner was waiting. "Edward is one of the biggest sponsors of the university. Through him I have permission to go out there as long as I don't disturb anything." In other words as long as he didn't bother any animal nests or kill any of the wildlife which consisted of various bird species.

"Because of Liz." Johnny ventured a guess.

Jason and his grandfather had come a long way where their relationship was concerned. Mainly because them not getting along hurt Lila. The two men still had some distance between them, until Jason went to the mansion one day with Elizabeth. The older man made some snarky comment and she had pretty much ripped him a new one. Edward had been grinning the entire time he was being put in his place. By the time she was done Liz had a new fan. Lila already had made it clear that she adored the young designer. Liz said she didn't want to hear anything like that about Jason come from Edward's mouth again. Since then things had been much better.

"Of course." Jason just smirked. "He flirts with her like Sonny flirts with my grandmother. Shamelessly."

"It keeps him from talking to you." Johnny commented on the upside. "They are going to be thrilled to hear that the two of you are dating."

"We should go tell my grandmother tomorrow before leaving." Jason didn't want her to learn about it in the paper. He didn't worry about everyone else since he knew Elizabeth would tell Emily tonight. His sister would tell Monica and Alan. "Who are we waiting for?"

"Francis is coming over because Diane is feeling better." She had destroyed the DA in court today and got the charges Sonny was facing tossed. "Cody is in the office calling his girl, Nadine is going to check on Liz and promised him an update. Sonny should be arriving shortly." Johnny went down the list. "I'm not sure about Milo, it depends on what Georgie does."

The blonde mob boss was hearing that a good number of his friends were planning their evenings around their ladies. Now that would be him, and that made Jason happier than he could say. "Why are you still single?"

"Haven't met anyone who makes me want to be a double." Johnny said getting serious. "My mother says that the woman for me is out there, so I'm just enjoying the ride until she shows up." Johnny had a great love of women, it was matched by his respect for them. When he was in a relationship he gave his partner everything. When he wasn't he enjoyed the ability to go out on a lot of dates. "I'm kind of hoping she shows up soon. I don't want to be the odd one out."

"Sonny is still single." Jason reminded his friend.

"Because he's dragging his ass. I know it looked like you and Liz were moving slowly but you really weren't. You were taking your time and making sure that when you moved from friends to something more it was going to last. I respect that. Sonny is not even putting any effort into asking Alexis out." Johnny went on a mini rant. He thought his friend was being stupid, and was risking missing out on the type of woman he should be with.

"They could just be taking it slowly like Elizabeth and I did." Jason played devil's advocate.

"Then they need to do us the courtesy of letting us know." Johnny said laughing. The guys only clued in about Jason because he couldn't hide his changing feelings, that made them look closer at Liz and they saw the same thing. If the ladies could read people better than they would have seen what was happening. Lila wasn't going to be surprised by this news, Johnny would bet his house on it.

Jason looked down the hall and saw all his friends coming. Including Milo. It was the younger of the Giambetti brothers who spoke first. "The ladies are together. Georgie said to call if we are going to be late."

Sonny went next. "The arrangements are all set. The houses were cleaned today, and the flight plans have been filed. Send a list of what you want to my head housekeeper and she'll make sure it's picked up." He looked at his partner and Johnny both because she would be shopping for both houses because Jason and Liz were not staying in the main house. I also booked a massage for Elizabeth for the day after tomorrow. You'll get a call from the spa to confirm the appointment. Anything else you need you can get." The mob boss said grinning.

"Johnny said court went well." Jason checked in with his partner. None of them was really worried. Diane was that good.

"Diane is frightening." Sonny said smiling and popping out his dimples. "I think I heard Baldwin whimpering." The guys all laughed at that.

"Who is being assigned to me while we are down there?" Jason wanted to know getting back to the trip.

"Renaldo and Lee." Cody had handled this. Renaldo was the head of the guards on the island so he would be automatically be put on the rotation to watch his bosses when they came down. Renaldo reported to Cody when it came to security matters. "Liz knows him since he was up here for a few years, and I wanted her comfortable. He suggested Lee and will make the introductions."

"We can get her a female guard." Sonny told Jason.

"I can ask, but I know that Elizabeth is going to say that isn't necessary. She's comfortable with the guys." Jason said shrugging. She wasn't afraid of men despite what she had been through. At the moment she might be a little wary, but he knew that wouldn't extend to the Port Charles crew.

"Just let me know if that changes." Sonny would do whatever Liz needed. She had saved his life with a blood transfusion and he was aware of the fact that she didn't have to. It was just the type of person she was. He would never repay that debt, but he would be forever grateful, something he had told her.

"Let's get started." Jason reached for the doorknob and then paused before he opened the door. He didn't want to be here all night. Not when his girl was waiting for him. "Before we go in you guys should know that Elizabeth agreed to move in."

"Congrats." Francis said speaking for the group. This news didn't surprise anyone.

"We should celebrate by watching you remove the asshole on the other side of the door." Johnny slapped Jason on the back.

Getting the message the blonde mob boss entered the room.

* * *

Logan was leaning against the wall and he straightened up when the door swung open. Since there were no chairs in the room he got the message that his comfort wasn't a factor. He was also guessing this was the last place he was ever going to see. That thought scared him but he wasn't going to let the men who just entered know that.

"Hayes." Johnny took the lead. Jason would finish things up. "Where is Smith?"

"He run?" Logan looked nonplussed.

"That he did." Johnny wasn't going to rush. They would get the information they needed one way or the other. "Tell us and what is coming will not be as hard as it could be."

"No matter what it's going to be bad." Logan leaned back against the wall, and bent his knee to put one foot on the wall. "We may as well just get to it." He had no clue where Zander was so he wouldn't be able to help them with that. Logan wasn't a snitch but he had to admit he wasn't sure that he could hold off once Morgan started in on him.

Johnny just walked back to where the guys were standing. It was his friend's show now. While he had been talking Jason had been pulling on gloves. The time for chit chat was over, although Logan would tell them where Hoffa was buried if he knew before it was done.

Jason walked over and just punched Logan in the face hard enough to break his nose. He would stop shortly and see if Hayes wanted to say anything. For now the only sound in the room was Jason's fist hitting bone and Logan's grunts at receiving those blows.

* * *

Three hours later he walked away from Logan who was just a mass of broken bones. At times during the beat down Jason had stopped so Johnny could question the prisoner. The more pain he was in the more he spoke. Something the guys saw often. What they had learned was that Zander did indeed know about the kidnapping beforehand. Smith could have talked Logan down, or even called his boss who could have called Sonny. Elizabeth's ex didn't do either of those things. What he did was help by providing Logan with a decommissioned safe house, and then going out there.

Logan was convinced that despite what Zander said, he actually agreed to the kidnapping because he wanted another chance to talk with Liz about them breaking up. The former solider then admitted that he planned on asking for ransom, which Smith was unaware of. Hayes also had no idea where to find his partner. Which was what they really wanted to know.

Jason leaned against the wall and peeled off his gloves. He wasn't breathing hard because of the breaks. While he watched Johnny went back over. After a minute or so the green eyed enforcer pulled out a gun and put a bullet in Logan's head. "He was done." Johnny said coming back over. He would give this weapon to the cleanup crew for disposal since it wasn't his registered gun.

"I'm still thinking Canada is our best bet to find Zander." Francis addressed the group. "However I'm reaching out to families in the states in case he's taking a driving tour." Fleeing down the east coast was a possibility.

"Lorenzo is determined to find him." Sonny thought that Alcazar's anger was the closest to Jason's. The arm's dealer was seriously pissed. "Zander isn't going to be able to hide forever."

"I'm patient." Jason took a sports drink from Milo. "No matter when he's brought back, I'll be here waiting."

"I'll supervise the crew." Johnny told the guys. Since everyone, but Sonny, was going home to someone he would let them leave.

Jason just nodded. He was ready to go home and curl up with Elizabeth. "I'm going to the mansion tomorrow. We should leave there around ten or so."

"I'll meet you at the plane." Johnny said as the crew came in. "Go shower and head home."

With another nod Jason went to the bathroom so he could do just that.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 8

"Elizabeth." Lila smiled as the young woman walked into the parlor with Jason behind her. "It's been far too long since we've had a visit. I blame my grandson for being selfish." The Quartermaine matriarch said with a wide smile.

"I'm here for two minutes and already getting blamed for things." He said leaning forward and kissing her cheek. "I'd ask how you are doing but your cheekiness is on full display."

"It's my most endearing trait." She said laughing at his dry humor. "My dear that dress is beautiful. Is it one of yours?" The bright yellow sleeveless floral lace dress just made her happy to look at it. The detailed bodice showed Elizabeth's sharp eye yet at the same time it didn't take attention from the overall look. The white wedges were adorable, and Lila's keen vision noted the knot earrings in the younger woman's lobes. They had been a gift from Steve to Audrey. Liz inherited them when her grandmother passed away and wore them almost every day.

"It is." Liz said taking a seat. "From my current line. This was the demo dress and I kept it instead of selling it like I normally do." She designed with all different personalities in mind, but this dress was based on her likes. That had clearly resonated with her customers because this design sold out in every color, twice so far.

"I love it." Lila enjoyed it when young women dressed as such. There was nothing wrong with flashing some leg, or going strapless. Or doing both. It was just her opinion that young women these days left little to the imagination. The beach was the place for flaunting what you had. Not the dinner table.

"Thank you Mrs. Q." Liz beamed under the praise.

"When will your fall line hit the site?" Lila always went to look at the new designs. She never hesitated to purchase anything that caught her eye. The suit she wore to her last foundation board meeting was a Webber design, and Lila got a host of compliments on how she looked.

"About six weeks. Everything comes in later this month and then I'll photograph it. I may also be opening a boutique. It depends on what magic Diane is able to make happen with the price of the building." Liz could share this with Lila because she didn't gossip. "Use your magic powers to send me some good energy." She was convinced Jason's grandmother was some sort of angel.

"I certainly will." Lila knew that Jason would have offered to buy the building so if Liz was worried about the price it meant she turned him down. Lila kept the chuckle that wanted to bubble up to herself. Jason would certainly respect that request, which must have been extremely painful for him. "Please keep me updated."

"I can do that." Liz promised knowing that Lila would be thrilled for her.

"Why are you sitting there looking so smug? When your grandfather gets that look on his face I start to worry." Lila turned her attention to Jason. He was in a very good mood. She could always tell otherwise. No matter how hard he tried to hide it. Like the other members of the family he rarely got anything past her.

"I know something you don't." Jason said with a wide smile. That yes was totally smug.

"I doubt that." Lila shot back enjoying the teasing.

Elizabeth watched the two of them and didn't even bother to hide her laughter. They were trouble when they got together. There was a reason Edward told Alice to keep a closer eye on his wife when Jason was over.

"Okay, what is it that you think you know that I haven't told you yet?" Jason threw the ball back in her court.

"Two things have happened." She said holding up the appropriate number of fingers. "One you probably are not planning on telling me. Which makes me think that one isn't such great news. The second thing is what you are taunting me with." Lila began explaining.

"Stop stalling." Jason smirked from the couch.

"I was trying to postpone the moment I handed you your defeat, but if you insist. You and Elizabeth are now dating." Lila watched as shock registered on Jason's face, and Liz just started laughing harder.

"How on earth did you figure that out?" Jason was beginning to suspect that AJ's belief that their grandmother was a mystical creature was true. She just knew everything. "Did you tell her?" He asked his girlfriend.

"No." Liz had to wipe her eyes. Jason never beat his grandmother, although he continued to try. "I knew that you wanted to share the news in person. I also would like to know how you figured it out."

"I'm not going to say. Since Jason was so rude." Lila grinned and showed off her perfectly even white teeth. It was actually pretty easy to guess. It didn't have anything to do with something they said, but it was about something they did.

"Emily told you?" Jason said trying to puzzle this out.

"Jason Morgan, your sister would never betray a confidence." Lila raised a sculpted brow at him. It was her version of raising her voice. "Just because I am smarter than you is no reason to start slinging mud." Their new relationship was not the only thing she knew. Carly was expecting but her granddaughter, and other grandson, hadn't announced it yet. Lila was just able to figure it out.

"Sorry." Jason immediately retracted his statement.

"Would you be willing to tell me how you figured it out?" Liz wanted to know.

"Absolutely." Lila was smiling again. "It's how you two are sitting on the couch."

"I'm going to need you to go into more detail." Jason told his grandmother. He was an expert at reading body language and he couldn't see anything they were doing differently. He generally sat next to Elizabeth on the couch. Unless there wasn't any room. Emily took great joy in sitting between them if the opportunity arose.

"Your hips and legs are touching." Lila said like it was obvious. "You do normally sit close together, but never that close. That is a lot of contact considering that the rest of the couch is empty. If Elizabeth was leaning back your sides would be touching as well because Jason, you have your arm across the back of the couch." Which wasn't unusual.

"I'll never be as awesome as you." Jason just shook his head.

"Nope." Lila let him know.

"What's the second thing that you don't think we'll share?" Liz had to know.

Lila didn't speak instead she pointed down.

Liz didn't have to look and neither did Jason. The bruises around her ankles had been spotted. Liz's wedges wouldn't hide them. She had considered wearing sneakers but realized the socks she liked to wear, which were the kind that were hidden in your sneakers, wouldn't hide the discoloration either. Her other choices were to change into long pants and wear her boots, or buy new socks. Liz wanted to wear this dress today, it made her happy; so the pants and boots were out. Plus she hated long socks which meant buying them wasn't going to happen. So she tried using a concealer that was a shade darker than her skin which muted the color but didn't eliminate it.

"Zander had a friend of his kidnap me the night before last. It wasn't until early yesterday morning that Jason brought me home." Lying to Lila didn't even cross Liz's mind. She held out her hand and showed her palms. These bruises were coming in slower so the concealer on the back of her hand was doing a good job of hiding them.

"I brought her home, after she rescued herself." Jason was still so proud of that.

"We are going away so I'll have time to become less colorful." Liz finished the story. "We just couldn't leave without sharing our news with you first."

"I don't blame you for taking some time outside of Port Charles. Answering a bunch of questions about this incident will not be helpful." Particularly since Jason would be handling clean up. "I never liked Zander." She looked at her grandson and he nodded indicating the situation was under control.

Liz just nodded as well. That wasn't something she learned until after breaking up with him. Each time they crossed paths with Mrs. Q she was her normal gracious self. Once the relationship ended Liz learned that her best friend's grandmother thought Zander was a toad with a roaming eye.

"Where are you whisking my grandson off too?" Lila wanted to know.

"Puerto Rico." Liz answered smiling. "He's going to show me the resort and the island."

"I haven't been to that island in years. Edward and I went before Alan was born." Lila reminisced. That was how they got their eldest child. "Then we took the kids when they were in their early teens. I'm willing to bet the colors down there will be an inspiration to you." Jason and Sonny both had mentioned that she could go whenever she liked. Lila just preferred the comforts of home.

"I think so as well." Liz answered nodding her head. The entire culture would more than likely leave a lasting impression.

"That dress will fit right in." Lila was guessing Jason was also taking this trip so that he could focus on Elizabeth. This might remind her of another event the younger woman worked hard to move past.

"I was thinking the same thing when I picked it to wear." The dress just made her feel good. "We have something else to share."

"Unless you'd like to guess." Jason just grinned.

"No one likes a pouter." Lila let him know. "He's just like his grandfather."

"I'm moving into the penthouse." Liz just shared the news before Jason had his ego dented again. "When we return from our trip."

"That is more fantastic news." Lila was hoping that at some point they would be coming over to announce an engagement. They were already in love and she was not one for waiting. When it was right there was no need to delay. "With no one home, I can get to say I found out before they did. Em doesn't count."

"Of course she does." Jason said to be difficult. He then oomphed when his girlfriend elbowed him.

"You're right, she doesn't count." Liz said with a sunny smile.

"When are you two leaving?" Lila wanted to know.

"When we are done being abused here." Jason answered being a smartass.

"You are lucky then. I have an appointment shortly, so all the time I scheduled for abuse is used up." Lila deadpanned. "Are you sure you want to deal with this?" She asked Liz.

"I'm hoping he turns out like Edward." Liz laughed again at Jason's expression.

"Edward is adorable." Lila was still very much in love with her husband. "Enjoy your trips my darlings."

"We will." Jason kissed his grandmother's cheek again, and this time Liz did as well. "We will call when we return and come over for dinner." It had been awhile, doing so would make his grandmother, and Monica, smile.

"Make it brunch." Which was less formal and thus would be more enjoyable for him.

"Deal." Jason kissed her again before walking out to where the car was parked.

* * *

"Where are the guys?" Liz asked looking at the empty car. Last night Jason said their guards were meeting them at the plane. This morning Francis called to change those plans. With Zander unaccounted for Johnny was going to go to the mansion as backup for Max.

"The garden." Jason didn't even have to look to know he was correct. "Johnny loves the roses which is why he declined to come in this time. That and because he knew we were telling Lila about us dating. Max probably wandered in after him and got lost." A lot of the guys enjoyed the garden whenever they had a reason to be on the grounds.

"How long will they be gone?" Liz hadn't known that.

"Long enough for me to steal a kiss, or two." He backed her up until the hand on her lower back hit the car and leaned forward capturing her soft lips. Letting himself sink into the kiss, Jason forgot everything else.

* * *

Elizabeth slipped on her sunglasses as she stepped out of the plane and into the bright sunshine. While it was warm in Port Charles she could swear that the sun felt different down here in the tropical paradise. It was a trick of the mind, probably from her relaxing during the almost four hour flight. Leaving the states was the right call. There were two cars waiting at the bottom of the stairs along with two guards.

"Renaldo." Liz said giving her friend a big hug. "How are you?"

"I'm great." He had been pissed to hear about what happened to her, and was going to make sure the stay down here was relaxing. "How are you?"

"Okay. I'm okay." Liz said giving him a smile to ease his worry. It didn't surprise her that he knew what had taken place. "Who is with you?" She didn't recognize the second guard.

Renaldo dropped the subject, one of the guys would give him an update. "This is Lee." The younger guard looked a bit surprised and Renaldo could guess why.

Lee extended his hand. He was not going to be hugging on his boss's girlfriend. His boss's really pretty girlfriend. He was shocked that Renaldo did that. "Ms. Webber."

"Oh no." Liz looked at Renaldo. "Really? What are you teaching them down here?" She turned back to Lee. "It's Elizabeth, or Liz."

"Uh." Lee looked at her and tried not to blush. "I'll help with the luggage." He said dodging the issue. From what he understood he was just backup so he probably wouldn't have to interact with her much, which meant he wouldn't have to deal with what to call her.

Liz gave Renaldo a look before smiling. She would wear Lee down before they left. She still needed to find out how long this trip was because at the moment she had no idea.

"Jason." Renaldo shook his boss's hand. "Here are the keys."

"How are you?" Jason saw his friend several times a year, still he always checked in.

"Good." Renaldo enjoyed being down here. "The houses are ready." Just standing around was not good. Lee and Max had divided up the bags so they could leave.

"Come on O'Brien. You can catch me up on what is happening in Port Chuck." Renaldo walked over to the second car. "No, I'm not letting you drive." The South American guard grinned.

Johnny just rolled his eyes, man he missed Renaldo. Once they were all in the vehicles they started the drive to the house.

* * *

Jason taking the long way to the property was not surprising. He would want to show Liz some of the island. Exploring in depth could take place later in the stay, but this was just a quick view. After that he got on the coastal highway and let the water be the star of the ride.

"Where on the island are we staying?" Liz asked as they passed through another city.

"Dorado." Jason said switching lanes. "We just passed through San Juan. I figure at some point during the trip we will visit the city and do touristy stuff."

"How long are you expecting this trip to be?" Liz had more free time at the moment than he did.

"I have no idea." Jason said with a boyish grin. "I didn't really do much planning."

"Seriously?" Liz looked at him like she didn't know who he was. Jason planned pretty much everything. He even scheduled the time for their bike rides and if she wasn't available he would shoot some pool by himself or with the guys. Last year when sunspots started messing with signals and folks were having connection issues Sonny joked that Jason would curl into a ball and cry without the ability to check his schedule. The man was organized.

"We came down so that you could heal and we can spend some uninterrupted time together. When both those things are accomplished then we can return." Jason gave her a quick look. "Or we can go back whenever you say."

"What about Zander?" Liz shifted in her seat so she could see him better.

"Once he's located then the guys will hold him until I return." Jason wasn't going to let that asshat disrupt their time away. "There is no rush there." He paused briefly. "Or if you'd rather Francis can take care of things so that when we return it's handled." He would do that for her.

"Can I think about it?" Liz might want to talk to her ex. She hadn't made her mind up about that yet.

"Absolutely." Jason reached over and picked up her hand, kissed the back of it, and then put it down. He was guessing she was trying to decide if she had anything she wanted to say to Zander. If she decided the answer was yes, he would see that she got her chance.

* * *

They drove through Dorado and into an area where the houses were far enough apart that they became estates. They went past them until Jason turned down a private road lined with trees and she felt like they were entering another world. It wasn't surprising that Sonny's place would be a considerable distance from anyone else. Not only would that be a security safeguard, but it also ensure his privacy. The large wrought iron gate also wasn't surprising either. It wasn't until they were actually on the grounds that things took a turn for the different.

Back in Port Charles Sonny lived in a huge fortress. There really wasn't another word for it. Greystone, because yeah it had a name, gave her the chills whenever she drove up to it. She was also convinced that the place was haunted. A belief that Johnny totally shared.

"Is that the main house?" She pointed to the structure at the top of the drive. It was still a good size, but smaller than she was expecting.

"Yeah." Jason just grinned. "The lifestyle down here is a lot more casual and we all embrace that when we are here. Suits with no ties, or khakis with button down shirts are fairly common."

"Like Renaldo and Lee were dressed." Liz often noticed folks' clothes before she noticed them. It was a byproduct of her career. She didn't judge people for what they wore though because style was too personal to mock.

"The only time a full suit is required is when the guys are scheduled for casino shifts." Jason drove past Sonny's place as they moved deeper into the property. They passed a couple more buildings one of which housed the pool. Sonny had it enclosed last year for use on rainy days. "That is where Johnny and Max will be staying." He pointed out a bungalow. "Renaldo has a place in Dorado proper, I'm guessing Lee does as well, we are just outside the city."

"Is that your place?" She pointed to the house that was just a bit further away.

Jason nodded as he pulled the car into the carport. He was the only one of the crew who lived alone. Even Sonny often had guests when he was done here. Johnny generally stayed in the main house, so did any of the other guys who wanted to. The crew members like Francis and Milo who had ladies with them got to stay in one of the guest houses, of which there were seven, for privacy. Jason was also the only person besides Sonny to have a dedicated space. This was his house, he had clothes here, and even if he wasn't around no one stayed here. "Like Sonny's place I don't think this is what you will be expecting."

"I'm sure it's wonderful." Liz said smiling. "Take me inside and show me around."

Jason came around and helped her out of the car. He would come back for the luggage shortly. Stepping inside they found themselves in the foyer which lead to the living room. From there they walked through the dining room and then into the kitchen. "The bedrooms are down this way. There are three of them. Have a look around while I get the luggage."

Liz nodded and walked through the rest of the bungalow. She was definitely going to be spending time in the tub that was is in the master bath maybe even with Jason. When she came back out front the walkout from the dining room caught her attention so she stepped out. There was a path that led down to what she was guessing was a private beach, but from the spot she was standing in she could already see the water. To the right of the patio space there was a small personal pool that she was guessing could be heated as well.

"What do you think?" He asked joining her outside.

"This may be the most peaceful place I've ever been in my life." Liz turned to him smiling. "Did you build this house?"

"No. This was a retreat before Sonny bought it, which is why there are so many houses on the property. When he decided to keep the individual cottages but just spruce them up he let me have first pick of which one I wanted. I chose this one. Even though it's set back some I'm still close enough that I don't feel like I'm alone." Jason had taken the smallest of the outer houses. From this patio he could wave to the house that the guys were in.

"Who decorated it?" Liz wanted to know. There wasn't a very strong island feel to the place. The interior gave off a more contemporary feel, but at the same time it was somewhere that she could see Jason being comfortable. The color palette was very much suited to him.

"Johnny." Jason wasn't surprised that she clued into the fact that he didn't pick out the furnishings. "We actually used to share this house because at one point only Sonny's place and this one were rehabbed. O'Brien came down more often than I did so I let him decorate. We stopped sharing the place because he's impossible to live with." Jason said laughing. "I threw him out."

"You did not." Liz replied laughing at his joke.

Jason walked over and dropped a kiss on her lips. "I did. The man is a slob."

"He's not that bad. I've been in Johnny's place. Our friend is just not the neat freak that we are." Because she worked on more than one design at a time being tidy kept her from going insane. Liz put her head on Jason's shoulder and just relaxed against him.

"How about I give you a personal tour of the bedroom." Jason asked as his hand moved over her back, which thankfully wasn't bruised. She hadn't slept well last night and he was guessing she was ready for a nap. Elizabeth was also walking stiffly so at some point tonight he would suggest some time in the hot tub. Once she was rested and feeling better they could talk about maybe going out to dinner. Right now he just wanted to take care of her.

"I would love that tour." Liz was feeling sleepy. A quick nap might happen which would give her energy for a later night. She didn't want Jason to think they had to spend their entire trip resting. There was plenty of island to see and explore.

Bending his knees he scooped her up and took her back into the house. Setting her on her feet by the bed he helped her undress and since their luggage was still in the foyer he took off his shirt and gave it to her.

"Lie down with me?" She requested wanting to be in his arms.

Jason didn't answer but instead kicked off his boots and jeans. "Get some rest and we'll talk about tonight when you wake up."

"Kay." Liz said snuggling close and then drifting off.

Jason settled in beside her and did the same.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 9

"Take a deep breath." Jason said pulling her closer. Elizabeth had just snapped awake from another nightmare. She was trembling so he pulled the blankets higher even though the tremors weren't from being cold. He didn't say anything else instead just gave her a chance to settle.

"What time is it?" She was snuggled up and didn't want to move.

"Not quite four-thirty." He had hoped that she napped longer.

"You have a doctor down here." It wasn't a question. She knew that Francis had come down once because of an injury.

"Yeah. You want me to call for some sleeping pills?" Jason was going to suggest it. Even if she only used them for one night her body would appreciate the rest.

"No. I hate sleeping pills. Being trapped in a nightmare and unable to wake up is the worst. My left hand hurts, a lot." Liz looked up at Jason. "I'm worried that I sprained it. I can close my hand so I don't think it's broken. I just want it looked at before my massage."

"I'll call and set up an appointment." Jason rolled over and grabbed his phone. He didn't like the thought of her in pain, it unnerved him to the point that his hands were shaking. "He should call back soon. Do you need a pain pill?"

"It's almost time for some ibuprofen anyway." Liz snuggled up again when he rolled back to face her. "A warm shower would probably help too. Want to come with me?"

"Absolutely. I can wash you so your hand can rest." He told her bobbing his eyebrows. If she wanted to play some he was happy to oblige, but if her hand was hurting too much they could just relax under the spray.

"I'm not in that much pain." Liz said laughing and rolling out of bed.

"I'll be right in." Jason commented as he grabbed his phone when it rang. After a quick conversation he hung up and made another call. "Hey, Elizabeth has a doctor's appointment at six."

"What's wrong?" Johnny was sitting on the patio relaxing. He had only ever lived two places in his life Ireland and Port Charles. The weather down here was a bit of a revelation. In the winter it was especially nice to spend time in Puerto Rico.

"Her left hand is bothering her. After she gets looked at we will probably go out to dinner. Assuming she is feeling up to it." Jason would check when he went into the bathroom.

"Renaldo will know where to go." Johnny would call his friend and let him know about the appointment. He and Max would be fine on their own, but it was never bad to have local when visiting somewhere. This was Renaldo's turf and Johnny respected that.

"I'll call you when we are ready to go." Jason heard the shower come on. He was missing out on seeing his girl naked.

"Yup." Johnny said getting up to go find Max and give him an update.

"What took you so long?" Liz looked over her shoulder as he stepped into the shower. The hot water had relaxed her tight muscles. She was going to feel fantastic after her massage tomorrow. "I was beginning to think you changed your mind about joining me." She teased him.

"I went out to the front of the house to grab the luggage. I wasn't sure that you wanted to put your yellow dress back on. You naked and wet is a look I'm not going to miss out on." He let her know. "If you are feeling up to it after your doctor's visit I'd like to take you out to dinner." Jason wrapped his arms around her and hummed as her soft skin moved across his. "I didn't grab your bath stuff."

"I don't mind smelling like you." Liz didn't have sensitive skin so using his soap would be fine. She had grabbed some soap from the bathroom closet.

"Then you won't smell like vanilla." Jason really loved the subtle scent that she used. When he was in the coffee shop he often had trouble concentrating because of the vanilla scent from the barista station.

"I'll go back to using my bath products tomorrow. Tonight I'd like to have your scent on my skin. It reminds me of being in your arms, or how my skin smelled after we made love." She turned and looked up at him. He was already hard against her tummy, and her body was responding to that.

"I could smell you on my skin too." Jason's hands moved down her body until he was able to cup her firm bottom. "It made me not want to shower. I liked the reminder that we had been together." He let his lips cover hers. "I have enjoyed thinking about us being together again."

They hadn't been together last night because by the time he got home she had fallen asleep, although she didn't stay that way. "We can be together now." She said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Perfect way to start the vacation off." He said giving his agreement to that idea. Kissing her again he let his hands run over her body. Touching her was always such a pleasure. He was looking forward to the two of them spending as much time naked as possible. When he felt her fingers tighten in his hair he pulled his lips from hers. "Don't hurt your hand." He said before letting his lips move to her neck.

"I…won't…hmm…" Liz was already breathing hard. Something about his lips on her neck was just magical. It was not a reaction she'd ever had with anyone else. The man just knew exactly how to touch her and make her tremble.

Jason moved his hands lower and lifted Elizabeth off her feet so that he had better access to her chest. Bracing her against the wall, he continued his downward path. He placed kisses around her straining nipple before sucking the peak inside the heat of his mouth. She whimpered and he sucked harder. He released her and blew a stream of air across the wet flesh making her hiss and causing her whole body to buck in his arms.

He had teased her about what he could do with his mouth, and she had totally believed him because Jason was not a man who bragged. What he had not warned her about was this mean streak he possessed. He was playing with her and destroying her little by little. His mouth had moved to her other breast and Liz was panting now. When he started rocking his hard shaft against her center breathing seemed to stop all together.

It was almost too much stimulation for a girl to take. His mouth moved back to her neck because yeah he had noticed what that did to her, and now Liz was sure he was trying to kill her. She was gonna go happy that was certain. "Jason." Her core was pulsing on the edge of orgasm and she needed him to push her over.

"Yes?" He straightened up and looked in her eyes like he hadn't just been deliberately teasing her. Playtime was almost over though, he had almost reached his breaking point. The same was true of her. He hadn't realized that her neck was so sensitive. Or at the least the front, more research was definitely needed to find out which other spots on her body made her burn.

Instead of saying anything she cupped the back of his neck and pulled him forward until her lips meshed with his. Then she kissed him. Slowly. Giving it plenty of heat. It was a kiss of seduction pure and simple. When she felt the tip of his shaft at her center Elizabeth knew he had gotten the message. She had to pull her mouth free and suck in air as her body stretched to accept his.

As he watched she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. "Elizabeth." That wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to be shut out. Jason wanted to look into her eyes and see how his claiming affected her. "Look at me." He also wanted her to see what being with her like this did to him.

Liz opened her eyes and in the depths of his she saw passion and desire for her. The heat of his gaze left her feeling scorched. She could also see something else that left her feeling closer to him than ever before. She bit her lower lip when he pulled back and the fingers of her right hand squeezed his bicep tight as he surged forward again. Filling up the empty space inside her that had been waiting just for him.

She was everything, Jason thought to himself. He could see straight to her soul when he looked into her eyes. He could see her desire and her passion. It was all for him. All the emotions she felt for him were right there. Including the ones in her heart. His lips skimmed across her neck again before gliding over her chin and taking her mouth in a passionate kiss as his hips increased speed. He needed to give her all of him and waiting another minute simply wasn't going to happen.

They were still kissing when she tipped over the edge and everything inside her simply was engulfed in the power of what they created. Her whole world was this moment, and it seemed like time has simply stopped in recognition of that.

He felt her climax and continued to stroke until he just couldn't hold back any longer. Everything he had moved from his body into hers as his release rolled through him. Nothing was held back, and nothing was hidden. He was laid bare before the magic of what was happening between them. His life began with her he thought before thinking was impossible.

Neither one of them moved but the kiss gentled before the need to breath forced them apart. Her legs were still wrapped around his hips as he separated their bodies and he closed his arms around her to bring her closer. Their hearts were both beating hard and they could feel that as she placed her head on his shoulder and sighed in satisfaction.

"You okay?" Jason wanted to know.

"I am." Liz kissed his shoulder before looking up.

"How is your hand?" He moved back so that she could put her feet down, but he didn't let her go.

"I was careful. It doesn't hurt any more than it did before." Liz had made sure to not make a fist with her left hand. Although she couldn't swear it didn't happen at the end. She had kind of been on another wavelength at that moment.

"Let's get cleaned up and I'll get you some pain medication." Jason would grab one of the first aid kits.

"I've decided to wait until the doctor sees me to take something. Nadine gave me a bottle last night and it's in my bag. I can swallow a couple of pills at dinner." Liz reached for the soap only to have him grab it first.

"Relax." Jason kissed the back of her neck, and felt her shiver, before filling his palm with soap.

* * *

"I've turned into a stereotype." Liz laughed at herself as she went through one of her bags.

"What do you mean?" Jason wanted to know. He was sitting in one of the chairs in the room, wearing his boxer briefs and socks.

"I completely over packed for this trip." She said shaking her head. "I blame you for the fact that I have a month's worth of clothing here."

"Me?" Jason asked grinning.

"Yes you. I had no idea what I needed for this trip. I once went to New York for ten days with two pairs of jeans, and four tops. I'm the girl who packs super light and tracks down a laundromat." She told him before taking some clothes into the closet. The dresses she had packed were all ones that were wrinkle resistant because while washing clothes was fine, ironing sucked. Anything that did have wrinkles could be hung in the bathroom while she showered. "Are you going to get dressed?" Not that she wasn't enjoying his current look.

"I'm waiting to see what you are wearing. That way I won't be under dressed." Jason didn't want to be in jeans if she was in something nice.

"Where are we eating tonight? Does the restaurant have a dress code?" Liz took another batch of clothing into the closet. She decided while putting underwear in the drawer that a good portion of these items would just stay here as long as Jason was okay with that. Considering they were moving in together she suspected he would be.

"No clue." Jason just chuckled at her glare. "I don't eat out down here unless I'm with the crew at the casino. Renaldo will pick the restaurant, and whatever you wear will be fine." No one was going to turn him away.

"This non-planning you are doing is going to take some getting used to. But if this is your new outlook on life I'll support it." She said grabbing some shoes and heading to the closet once more. Her big bag was empty so she decided to go ahead and get dressed.

Since a doctor's visit was happening she wanted to be comfortable. A light weight short sleeved dress in blue was her pick. It had a V neckline, a pleated skirt, and an abstract pattern with the addition of white. It was comfortable and pretty. This wasn't one of hers but she had seen it during a trip to Rochester. Her favorite pair of white wedges went on her feet and that was the outfit. A look in the mirror had her nodding in approval.

"You're dressed." Jason said on the verge of a pout. "I was waiting to see some skin." All she had been wearing while unpacking was a large towel.

"We were just in the shower. That's all the skin you get for now." She sassed him some as she grabbed her toiletries to put in the bathroom. "Get dressed." She called over her shoulders.

When she came back out he was pulling his shirt over his head. Much like back home he was in jeans and t-shirt. There were a few subtle differences though. His shirt was a grey V-neck made of super soft jersey, and on his feet were blue and black sneakers. The color of the shirt was more surprising than the footwear. They worked out together often so she had seen him in sneakers before.

"All set?" He liked that dress. He also liked that her hair was down. It had been up is a twist this morning.

"My bag is on a hook in the foyer, I can grab it on the way out." When he held out his hand she walked over and took it. Hopefully they would get good news after her exam was done.

* * *

The doctor's office was closed when they arrived. In fact Dr. Simpson was the only staff member that was still here. Jason had asked Dr. O'Connor if there were any female doctors available, all of Elizabeth's doctors back home were women, and the doctor said his wife could stay and do the exam. Since they were both on the organizations payroll that was fine.

Jason waited in the reception area with the guys. "Where are we eating?" He asked Renaldo.

"El Ladrillo." He told his boss. "I don't know Liz's eating habits and they have a number of options along with a very good wine cellar. They will even do vegetarian dishes if she wants. They don't do vegan though."

Jason nodded looking at the door his girl disappeared behind.

"Liz doesn't have any allergies does she? I can call that in before we arrive." Renaldo knew the chef so the night would be a good one.

"No." Jason answered absently before looking at his watch. Time was crawling. When she asked if he wanted to come back he had declined not wanting to crowd her. Stupid decision on his part.

"Francis called earlier, so far there have been no Zander sightings." Johnny told Jason, and the other crew members as well. "Lorenzo sent guys to watch the Lewis house in case he goes home to his parents." This situation was showing them another side to Alcazar. Francis said the arm's dealer and Sonny were actually getting along really well, so they might come out of this with a new ally.

"Zander will turn up." Jason leaned his elbows on his knees. "I'm in this for the long haul and I have a lot more friends than he does. If it takes years I will find him." His blue eyes went cold as he made his proclamation.

"You and Liz make any plans for the rest of the time down here?" Max would move them off this topic so they weren't talking about it when she came back out.

"No." Jason grinned showing his teeth. "We are just going to take the days as they come."

Johnny just snorted. "I give you three days before the need to make a schedule starts wearing on you." Spontaneous was not something Jason did very well.

"What are you willing to bet that I don't crack before those three days are up?" Jason looked over at one of his best friends.

"I'll put up my Porsche Boxster convertible. The new black one, not the vintage one." Johnny wanted that clear. The new one wouldn't hurt to part with if he lost the bet. Plus Liz really liked it.

"I'll buy you a Tesla Model X if I lose." Jason held out his hand and Johnny shook it.

"Deal." Johnny said leaning back in his chair. The odds were fifty/fifty that he would lose this bet, although he really hoped he didn't. The model X was a car he had been debating about picking up, but honestly he didn't need it. Having Jason buy it would be away around that dilemma.

"Here comes Ms. Webber." Lee could see her walking up the hall with the doctor from his seat.

"Its fine if you call her Elizabeth or Liz." Jason told the guard. "In fact I'm going to insist you do. Otherwise you'll just aggravate her." He said as he got to his feet. "By the time we leave it won't feel so weird."

Lee just nodded. Last night when he was hanging out with the crew early in the evening, his boss said he would be with Jason when necessary. So Lee wasn't going to stress too much over the name. In fact he was going to do his best to not to talk to Ms. Webber at all.

All eyes turned to Liz and the brace on her hand spoke before she could. Her fingers were loose but her thumb was immobilized in the light colored support device. While they watched she shook the doctor's hand and then came over to where they were waiting. The doctor nodded to Jason and he returned the gesture. "Let's head out so Dr. Simpson can close up and go home." Liz told everyone.

"What is the diagnosis?" Jason asked as they headed to the cars.

"It's a sprain. A pretty nasty one, but that is still better than a break." Liz was trying to put a positive spin on this. "Two to four weeks of healing time. I don't need to come back unless I get worse. No restrictions on my activities." She looked over at her guy. "Do I need to repeat that?" He would have her wrapped in cotton wool if he could.

"No." Jason was going to try to control his overprotective urges. He was pretty certain that he was going to fail though.

Liz looked at everyone else. "Well?"

"We'll behave. As much as he does." Johnny said with a slick grin as he pointed to Jason. There was no way that his friend wasn't going to hover.

"Great." Liz just shook her head. "I'm going to end up locking all of you in a closet. We came down here so I could heal, and I'm making the most of that. I'm going to do plenty of relaxing." It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Jason not to tell the guys back home, but Frannie would be pissed if they kept this from him.

Jason would make sure she rested, starting with her massage tomorrow morning.

* * *

Dinner was fantastic and when they got back home she asked to go for a walk. She wanted a closer look at the grounds where they were staying. Because this was a former resort there were plenty of walking paths around the property and it was well lit. They held hands and Jason played tour guide. She expressed interest in visiting the club house where the pool table was located at some point during their stay, and he nodded in agreement. When they passed the house Johnny and Max were staying in their friends were sitting out. They waved but didn't stop.

"I can't believe I forgot to bring my camera." Liz said looking up at the stars. Taking pictures was something she did fairly often. When something inspired her she would document it so she could refer to it later.

"We can take another walk tomorrow." He let her know.

"No I mean I should have brought it on the trip. I left it back home so the camera on my phone will have to do." Liz shrugged as she answered. It was a good camera, but she preferred to use a handheld. Spinelli kept extolling the virtues of her phone camera, but Liz didn't like having pictures on the device if she could help it. If it got hacked her life would be bared for someone else to see. Call it paranoid, but that was how she thought. "Or I can do a quick drawing." Her sketch pads and pencils were waiting in the bungalow. While she didn't plan to work, she never went anywhere without them.

"What would you like to do after your massage tomorrow?" Jason wasn't going to make plans, but if Liz did it wouldn't cost him the bet.

"No clue. I will download a travel guide when we get back to the house and see what the island has to offer. Unless you have a suggestion as to where we should start our tropical adventure?" Liz looked over at him.

"Do your reading and we'll talk about what catches your interest." This trip was about her. O'Brien must be slipping because he should have factored that into his thinking before making the bet.

"I can do that." She said before they lapsed into a comfortable silence again. By the time they made it back to Jason's bungalow dinner had settled and she was feeling very relaxed. Hopefully tonight she was would sleep better. She wanted to be rested so she could enjoy her trip.

Elizabeth also knew that her not sleeping was affecting Jason. While he didn't need as much sleep as her, he still needed more than he was probably getting. Exercising helped when she got insomnia so maybe she would do some yoga before bedtime.

"Where'd you go? Jason asked when she looked over at him. Her mental trip had been a short one.

"Stressing some about not sleeping well. Which is going to make me not sleep well." She said with a grin. "I'm also worried I'm making you tired."

"I'm good." Jason promised her. "I'm getting enough sleep, so no worries there." He held her close and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "How about some herbal tea? We can sit on the patio and enjoy the night for a while longer before turning in."

"I like the sound of that." Liz nodded. She would let him take care of her, which would hopefully relax them both.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 10

"Have a good time." Jason leaned over and gave Elizabeth a soft kiss. "Max will be sitting in the reception area if you need him."

"I doubt that I will, but it's nice to know that he is there." Being alone was one of the things she was struggling with. At the moment she just felt safer with someone else around. It didn't necessarily have to be one of the guys. She had felt so much more relaxed hanging out with Em and their friends the night before the trip, then she did after they left. This feeling would pass, and in the meantime she would just work through it.

The coming spa treatment would go a long way towards making her feel better. From time to time she treated herself to a massage back home and always felt great after. "Sonny assured me that this location was top notch. Since it's in the hotel you guys own I'm not surprised." She said smiling. They were on the resort grounds and would be hanging out here today because she requested to. "What are you going to do with yourself while I'm inside?"

"Hang out and get into trouble with Johnny and Renaldo. I think we have enough time to get arrested and still make bail while you are getting your massage." He said laughing.

"You'll look good in your mug shots." He was in grey hybrid cargo shorts, they could be worn in the water as well, and a vibrant blue t-shirt. "That's really what is most important."

"If that is the criteria then we should wait for you." Jason liked her pink polka dot sleeveless top. She was also wearing black shorts which was surprising as she rarely wore the color. On her feet were pink sneakers. She had the same style of shoe in about twelve different colors and that had been a bit of running gag when he first started to getting to know her. The first time they exchanged Christmas presents he gave her a pair in black, because he never saw that shade on her feet, which was how he learned she didn't generally wear the hue. However he noticed that she wore those sneakers quite a bit.

"I've never been booked. Emily said it's not fun." Liz said with a sunny smile. "Carly concurs."

"There is a reason we don't let them go out unsupervised that often." Jason didn't want to think about his sister's wilder years. It was never too bad, but Em had really given the family grey hairs. It didn't help that she managed to shake every guard she had until he assigned Cody to protect her. "Go in before you are late." Jason said looking at the clock. She leaned over and kissed him again before opening the car door.

Max was right there to help her down. He had been waiting for her to be ready. "I'll call you when the treatment is done." There was a good chance the spa would throw in extra time because Liz was a guest of the owner.

"We won't be too far away." Jason wasn't even going to be leaving the grounds while they were apart. He got out of the parked car and watched his girl walk in the building. Once she disappeared from sight he got into the backseat of the car that parked next to his. "I need to do some shopping."

"What are you getting?" Renaldo wanted to know. Almost anything his boss wanted could be gotten at the resort. They had a Main Street section just for shopping.

"I need a camera and then I need to go to a jewelry store." Jason replied as he buckled up.

Renaldo and Johnny just grinned at each other. That hadn't taken long at all. While there were many things their boss could be getting at that second stop, smart money said he was picking out a ring. Not an engagement ring just yet, but something so other guys knew Liz was spoken for. "After that where are we going?" Renaldo figured neither stop would take long, with the second being the longer of the two.

"No clue. We can just sit somewhere and wait for Elizabeth to be done." Jason figured they would kill the ninety minutes arguing about sports.

"Camera shop first." Renaldo put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking spot.

"What brand of camera does she like?" Johnny loved gadget stores. He could get lost in them for hours if left unchecked. Today he didn't have the luxury of time to waste so he would have to control the urge to whip out his credit card.

"I'm going to start with the color." Jason had something specific in mind.

"A bold, yet unusual shopping strategy." Renaldo was looking around the store. He shopped here often and knew most of the staff. "The cameras are this way." He pointed to his right. "What color are we looking for?" He was guessing that the color named would be Elizabeth's favorite.

"Yellow." Jason followed his friend deeper into the store. When they reached the correct section he looked around and was surprised to see more than a handful of the devices in the color he wanted. "Everyone take a camera, that way we can find the best one faster. Johnny stay focused." Jason just grinned.

"Very funny." Johnny said moving off to look at a camera.

Renaldo located the camera that Jason decided to purchase. They were heading to the register when the head of the island guards spoke up. "Do you need to get Liz a phone?" The people in the organization carried satellite phones instead of those tied to terrestrial landlines. If she didn't have one now it was only a matter time before she switched over. The store they were in carried a large stock because this was where the organization came to outfit their workers.

"Good call. I may as well pick that up now. Where are they?" Jason asked looking around.

"They are kept in the back." It was an item ordered special for them. Renaldo also began looking around. He was seeking the manager.

"They only come in black." Johnny knew that much from purchasing them in Port Charles. "I'm not sure the covers come in anything but black or camo."

"Elizabeth will not mind if her phone isn't yellow. I just wanted the camera to be yellow because it's her favorite color." Jason told his friend.

Renaldo grinned at being correct. He spotted the manager. "Come on." He lead the way over to the person they were seeking.

* * *

"The jeweler is two doors down." Renaldo pointed to his left and they headed that way. He held the door for his friends and followed them inside. "There are more jewelry stores in Dorado proper." The resort was technically just outside the incorporated city limits. "If this one doesn't work out."

"We looking for a yellow stone?" Johnny wanted to know. This was not a place he felt a desire to shop. His watch and St. Christopher medal were the only pieces of jewelry he wore.

"No yellow and no amethyst." Jason told the guys. "No diamonds either. I was thinking a sapphire." It was his birthstone and Elizabeth looked good in all the various shades it came in. A yellow diamond would be used when he proposed, and amethyst was the birthstone of February. That was not his girlfriend's favorite time of the year.

"Mr. Morgan, welcome to the store." The manager came out to greet the VIP customer. He'd never been in before, but it was smart to know the important people in the area on sight. "How may I help you this morning?"

"Sapphire rings?" Jason hated to be fawned over. He preferred to shop uninterrupted, business owners back home knew that. Down here they wouldn't, so he was going to try not to snap at being given good customer service.

"We will take it from here." Johnny said when the manager pointed out the appropriate case. "We will call you when we're ready." He grinned at Jason, his friend wouldn't have said anything. Part of being a VIP customer was getting your personal needs met. If Jason shopped more he would know that.

"Absolutely." The manager walked to the other side of the store and locked the door.

Since they weren't needed Renaldo and Johnny just hung back and watched their boss. Neither one of them was surprised that he didn't take long to make some initial selections.

Jason looked over at the manager who immediately came over. "I'd like to see several rings from the case."

"Let me get a tray." The manager quickly returned with a black velvet square. "What can I take out for you?"

Jason pointed to four sapphires and one ruby. "You guys want to come criticize my taste?" He asked his friends with a half-smile.

"Sure we do." Johnny would not let an opportunity to do so pass. "Nice." He said looking at the rainbow of stones. True to his word Jason had not selected a yellow or purple stone. "I've never in my life seen an orange sapphire before."

"Me either." Renaldo kind of liked it though. "If you go that route you know the ring will be unique." He noticed that in addition to sapphires, Jason had selected only cushion cut rings. Either he really liked them or Liz did.

"Get rid of that one." Johnny pointed to the third ring in the row. "It's too big for her hand."

"I have to agree with Johnny, it's going to look gaudy." Renaldo looked over the selection. "Carly has ruby, so you might want to get rid of that one too." Jason's brother and sister in-law were frequent guests at the resort, so Renaldo knew them well. That left the orange stone, a pink stone, and one traditionally blue sapphire on the tray. All of them would look good on Liz.

Johnny was guessing that yellow would come into play when Jason proposed. So he went a more traditional route now. "I like the blue. It's the same color as her eyes. Women notice details like that."

"I like the orange." Renaldo voiced his opinion. "Mainly for the uniqueness I mentioned earlier. Another thing ladies like." He grinned when Johnny nodded.

"Take away the pink." Jason told the manager. His friends had zeroed in on the two rings that he liked the best. The rings didn't look a thing alike. The blue stone was rectangular and offset with round diamonds in a tapering band. The orange stone was a rounded square surrounded by a halo of round diamonds. It was also the larger of the two stones, not that his girl would care about carat weight. It was a dilemma. "I'll take them both."

"Can't decide?" Johnny smiled at his boss.

"No." Jason shook his head as he laughed. "I'll think on it and when the time comes I'll know which one to choose. The other one can be a gift at some point."

"You can return whichever ring you don't need." The manager let Jason know.

"She will love them both." Jason was sticking with his decision. Elizabeth could wear the other ring on her right hand if she wanted. Once he gave her an engagement ring she could alternate the blue and orange stones. He liked thinking of her having options based on her mood.

"Want to grab some coffee?" Renaldo asked while the manager rang up the sale. "We can sit outside and let O'Brien look at the ladies."

"Like you won't be doing the same thing." Johnny laughed at his friend. "Or are you jaded?"

"I'm very much aware that the island is filled with beautiful women." Renaldo said with a wide smile. "However I am off the market so I will leave enjoying the view to you." He didn't let his eyes wander when he was in a relationship.

"We need to get that story over coffee." Jason said signing the receipt. He had no idea Renaldo was dating.

"I love a good gossip session." Johnny smiled wide. He wanted to hear about the lady that landed his friend.

* * *

"How do you feel?" Max was standing by the time she reached where he had been waiting.

"So relaxed." Liz said smiling. "I don't think that I've been this loose in a while." Even before the kidnapping she had been tense due to her submission. That would have passed if Logan hadn't shown up. Part of what helped her relax on the table was knowing Max was waiting out here for her.

"Being down here will help that feeling last." He said as they walked over to the elevator.

"Do you guys ever get a chance to enjoy the amenities?" She wanted to know.

"We do." Max nodded as he answered. "We all get days off while working. Even on this trip we'll get down time. Since we work for Jason and Sonny we get to come to the resort and hang out."

"Good." Liz liked that they treated their guys so well. "Speaking of Jason, where is he?"

"Grabbing a coffee." Max said with a smile. They drank a lot of coffee. He opened the door so that she could get into the SUV. During the conversation he was scanning the area. When she was secured he walked around the vehicle and got behind the wheel.

"Thank you." Liz looked over at him.

"For what?" Max asked confused.

"For being here." Liz was sinking into the soft seat. Max had turned the heating feature on. "I appreciate that you will keep me safe." She wanted him to know that she saw him and what he was doing. That she understood that he was willing to die to keep her safe, and that she didn't treat that lightly. "You could have wandered off in the two hours I was on that table." Walking out to find him gone would have shook her some.

"I wouldn't do that." Max gave her his word that he would always be around. This one conversation let him know that this assignment would be light years away from his last one. Liz would be a pleasure to guard. "I take my assignment seriously." He looked her in the eye so that she would know he was speaking the truth.

Liz nodded having got the message. She was going to respect the working relationship she and Max would have. "Let's go find Jason and keep him from getting into trouble."

"It's probably too late." Max said heading over to where his friends were waiting.

* * *

He parked next to the other company car and got out. Instead of walking around the car and helping Liz down, he tilted his head at the car. Jason, Johnny, and Renaldo were inside and they could see him. It was O'Brien who came out. They had a quick conversation before the Irish guard went back in the coffee shop.

"Elizabeth is asleep." Johnny was trying not to laugh. "Apparently the massage worked."

"We'll head back to the compound then." Jason said as he stood up. "When Elizabeth wakes up she can decide if we come back out or if she wants to do something else." Her resting was the most important thing.

"I'll follow you out." Renaldo knew O'Brien and Giambetti were enough, but this was his assignment.

"You can hang out with us." Johnny told his friend. "Call Lee and tell him to come out. We'll play poker."

"I would love to take your money." Renaldo responded as they walked to the cars. Hanging out meant he and Lee would be on hand if Jason and Liz wanted to do something.

"In your dreams." Johnny told his friend.

"I turned on the heated seats and I think that was what knocked her out." Max told Jason. In fact the SUV was still running because Max didn't want to wake her up. "She was happy with the spa treatment."

"I'll make sure Sonny knows." Jason knew that his partner sent people in to make sure things were as they should be. Sonny would appreciate Liz's evaluation.

"I'm gonna ride with the guys." Max wanted to give them space.

Jason got behind the wheel, and when he pulled out the other car was behind him. At the house he kept going when Johnny, who was driving, pulled into his driveway. At the bungalow Jason carried Elizabeth into the bedroom and covered her up with a blanket, kissed her forehead, and removed her brace.

He didn't want to be too far away if she needed him so he sat in the sitting area of the master suite to make his calls. He started with Spinelli, and had his hacker set up Elizabeth's new phone. Then he called Sonny and just checked to see how things in the territory were going. His final call that he needed to make was Francis.

"Corelli." Francis was in his office.

"It's me." Jason put his feet up.

"How is Lizbits?" Francis was hoping to get a call from them.

"Her thumb is sprained, and she's having trouble sleeping. The massage this morning knocked her out." Jason went down the list. "How is Diane?"

"Fine. She never stays down for long." Francis told his boss and friend.

"Johnny said that there was no movement on the Zander front." Jason got right to the point of the call.

"No. That's not surprising." Francis looked out at the harbor. "He's gone to ground and he's too scared to make a move. Whatever hole he crawled into he's not going to leave it because he feels safe. When he needs to make a supply run, or when he thinks enough time has passed that we aren't looking as hard is when he'll surface. Probably the former rather than the latter because he has to know we will always be hunting him." Francis didn't think Zander was stupid, just incredibly cocky.

"Give me your opinion on Lorenzo's involvement." Jason had more respect for the arm's dealer than his partner did. That had nothing to do with Skye dating him. Sonny's problem was really with Luis, but he had no problem taking that out on his brother.

"Alcazar is committed to seeing this to the end. He is not his brother." Francis actually liked Lorenzo. Luis had been an asshole. "Sonny thinks that Lorenzo is doing this because Skye is friends with Liz. I don't. Sonny is not being a jerk though, and I'm thinking that will continue."

Jason trusted that Francis would keep an eye on that situation. Sonny had grown up more over the past few years. Losing Lily had really been an eye opening experience, because no matter how you spun it her death was his fault. He still had bouts of ego though, what kept them from getting out of hand was that Jason had grown into his leadership role. When Sonny got out of line, Jason put him back in place.

"Keep me in the loop. I'm still not sure when we are returning." Jason told their second in command.

"No rush." Francis was happy that his friends were taking this time together. "There are plenty of things to do, and Liz will have fun experiencing the culture. Get back to your time off." No one saw this as Jason taking vacation, they all knew this trip was about Liz.

"Thanks." Jason ended the call, and seeing that Elizabeth was still sleeping he headed to the front to grab a book.

* * *

"Hi." Liz opened her eyes and Jason was right there. The last thing she remembered were the heated seats of the SUV. Clearly she had fallen asleep.

"Hey there." Jason closed the book he was reading and put it on the nightstand. Stretching out he propped his weight on his elbow. "How are you feeling?"

"Really relaxed." Liz blinked owlishly at him. "I wrecked our day. Sorry." From the way she felt the nap had not been a short one.

"No you didn't. We aren't on a schedule. We can go to the resort tomorrow. Or do something else if you like. Or do nothing." Jason let her know.

"What time is it?" Elizabeth stretched and told herself that she needed to get up.

"Just past four." Jason laughed at her shocked expression.

"I slept for five hours." Liz couldn't believe that.

"You did." Jason leaned over and kissed her because he couldn't help himself. Not all of the sleeping had been peaceful, but she never woke up so that saying something. "You hungry?"

Her stomach rumbled and she blushed. "I guess that's a yes."

"I'll make us an early dinner, because I skipped lunch too. After we can hop into the hot tub." That would hopefully keep her relaxed. "I was thinking we could end the night with a movie marathon."

She saw what he was doing, and wasn't going to argue. Her body was telling her that it needed to rest because she wasn't sleeping well. So she would listen. If she took it easy today that meant she would be rested enough to go out tomorrow. "Where is my brace?"

"On the nightstand." Jason rolled from bed and when she was ready helped her to her feet. "Come keep me company while I cook. Maybe I'll use the grill tonight."

"I like the sound of that." She said following him from the bedroom.

* * *

"Green." Jason was waiting by the back door. Dinner had been eaten and now it was hot tub time. "I was expecting yellow."

"I don't want to drown you in yellow. You'll get sick of the color." Liz owned several yellow swimsuits and he had seen almost all of them. For this trip she packed all new ones, and yes one was yellow. Or at least new to him, a couple of them were even from her summer line this year like the one she was wearing now. This two piece set was one of her favorites. It featured a French cross back bikini top and bikini brief bottoms. The dark teal color looked great on her.

"I never get sick of seeing you. No matter what color you are wearing." He said turning on the charm.

"I like your red swim trunks. I've noticed down here you wear a lot more color." Liz followed him out to the patio and then around the side of the house where the hot tub was situated. "Not that I don't like you in black, because I do." She didn't want it to seem like she was being critical.

"Black is intimidating." Jason had a carefully crafted work uniform. The dark shirt also hid stains well. The jeans and boots allowed him ease of movement that a suit did not. It was a bonus because he really didn't like wearing suits. "I can wear other colors on my days off." He hadn't really been taking much down time recently because he didn't have anything to do. They generally hung out at night because she worked a lot as well. Now that they were in a relationship and would be living together he saw days off happening much more often for both of them.

"You wear whatever makes you comfortable. I can ogle you no matter how you are dressed." Liz said with a lecherous grin.

"That is so wrong, I have a brain too." Jason mock protested as he helped her into the warm water.

"Yes, but that isn't what is on display when you are wearing your jeans." Liz said laughing. "I can't help it that your butt is made for denim." When he blushed she laughed harder. "Get in."

"I should probably call Johnny, I think I need protection." Jason said sinking into the water.

"I won't hurt you." She said putting her head on his shoulder. "Unless that is what you are into." She added at the last minute.

He was smiling, playing with his girl was fun. "Look." The sun was setting and the sky was glowing.

"So pretty." Liz said quietly. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome." Jason said as they watched the sun set and settled in to enjoy their evening together.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 11

"Ta da!" Liz walked into the kitchen and did a turn. "I am ready to sightsee." She had packed this garment because she felt it would go well with the tropical setting. The aqua blue sundress with eyeleted bodice and hemline, daisy chain trim, and gathered waist was fun and vibrant. The spaghetti straps and light material would keep her cool because it was supposed to be warm today. The added bonus was that she just felt pretty in it. "Are you ready?"

"I think my sightseeing for the day is complete. You are the best sight I'll see all day." He told her flirting. "You look very pretty." He was in cargo shorts, sneakers, and a bright blue shirt. He wouldn't need to go change so that he looked as nice as she did. He never wanted to embarrass her while they were out. He had an ex who constantly complained about what he wore.

"You." Liz said blushing. He was just too much sometimes. "I'd like to go into San Juan today."

"Let me check with the guys, but I'm guessing we can do that." Jason picked up his phone and sent a message to Johnny and Renaldo. The entire security team would go today. Not even thirty seconds later he got a response from Renaldo saying okay, meaning it was safe to go.

"While we are out can we find an electronics store? My phone appears to have died." Liz held up the device. Despite being on the charger all night, she couldn't get it to turn on. She had been happy it survived being thrown out of the truck's window, apparently something inside had broken and it just took a while to take the phone down.

"Stay here for a second." Jason had gotten distracted yesterday. He came back with a gift bag in one hand and her new phone in the other. "This is yours. The number is the same. Spinelli said that everything should be there. He didn't look at your personal items, he told me that once the number was moved so was all the stored data."

Liz nodded as she took the new device. "He's right. This phone is just over a year old and when I got it they just moved the number. Everything else followed." This new phone was the same one all the guys, plus Em, Georgie, and Nadine, carried. That he was giving it to her wasn't at all surprising. "Thank you." She wouldn't have to ever worry about getting a signal again.

"It only comes in black." Jason explained the color. "We could also only find black cases down here. You can get something nicer back home." His sister's case had pink daisies all over it.

"The covers back home are all black as well. I painted the ones the ladies carry." She knew what he was referring to. They had spent the day at Em's hanging out while she painted the cases. "I'll decorate this one when we get home. I need to figure out what I decals I want."

"The bag is yours as well." He pushed that closer to her.

"I love gifts." Liz said laughing. "I guess the no buying me rule is going out the window?"

"Good guess." Jason told her smiling wide. He wasn't even going to pretend otherwise. He was going to enjoy shopping for her.

Liz dug through the tissue paper. "A yellow camera! Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "It's nice too." She recognized this one. It had been launched earlier in the year, and yeah she considered getting it. In fact she had stood outside the electronics shop and looked at it through the window trying to decide if she wanted to go in to get it. However her camera back home worked fine so she behaved herself.

"Marco's eight year old niece is all about taking pictures now. She could use a camera if you would like to donate your other one." He knew his girl like the back of his hand. She would feel like she was being excessive having two cameras.

"I'll give it to him when we get home. Would you please send him a message so he doesn't go out and buy one?" Liz didn't have his number. "Em can go get it for him if he needs it before we leave here. Just ask her to pop out the SD card and delete the albums."

"I'm sure he can wait for us to return." Jason said sending the message.

"It's fine either way. Let me go get my tote and we can head out." Liz was looking forward to playing tourist.

As she walked from the kitchen he noticed that she was wearing sneakers that matched her dress. His girl was outfitted for a long day of playing tourist, at some point during the day he would need to make sure that she rested.

* * *

They started their day at the San Juan National Historic Site. A World Heritage Site, it explored the history of the many countries that fought for control of Puerto Rico over the centuries. As a result of those battles there were forts built on the site that they would be exploring during their visit to the island.

"Have you been here before guys?" She was looking over at Renaldo and Lee.

"I've been here a couple of times. It's a nice park, and a good place for a picnic." Renaldo let her know.

"I've only been once. Shortly after I moved here I did all the tourist stuff." Lee had wanted to learn about his new home. He was blushing as he answered her question.

"What about you three?" Liz looked over at her guy and their friends from Port Charles.

"Nope." Jason replied grinning. He knew his answer wouldn't be that surprising.

"I've been." Max let her know.

"Me too, because I'm not a heathen like some people." Johnny couldn't resist messing with Jason.

The answers were pretty much what she expected. Jason wouldn't play tourist here because he would need guards. The same was true of South America, although he had gone so many times that seeing the region happened in pieces. If he was going to go exploring he wanted it to be somewhere that he could blend in with the crowds and no one knew who he was. It was why he liked to go to Italy so much.

"I was thinking we could walk the Paseo del Morro. Since it is earlier in the day we won't be so hot." She noted that all the guys were dressed casually for the outing. "How does that sound?"

"Like a good plan." Johnny had the same problem Liz did. Too much sun would see them quickly go from pale to lobster red, so outdoor stuff was best done early in the day, early evening, or after sundown.

The trail that Liz wanted to explore would allow them to get an up close look at the masonry walls that at one point surrounded the city of Old San Juan. Some dated back to the 1630s. They would start from the San Juan Gate and walk to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. During their stroll they would get to view the entrance to the San Juan Bay.

"I feel so tiny standing next to these massive walls." Liz said before raising her camera and snapping a picture. "I know I'm short anyway but the scale of this structure is just mind boggling."

"You two go sit over there and I'll take a picture of you." Johnny took the camera when she handed it over. "Jason, pretend you are having a good time and smile." Actually his friend had been smiling a good deal since they arrived on the island. Liz was good for him. "Come take a look."

"Perfect. Thanks Johnny." Liz would need to frame that. Jason was sitting on the small stone outcropping and she was on his lap. Since the trail wasn't complete, when you reached the end you had to walk back to the main portion of the park.

"We will arrive back in time for an orientation talk." Renaldo told the group. "That's where they give you details about how the fortresses were built, a brief history of the area, and a glimpse into what life would have been like back there. After that we can do a guided tour if you like. They don't let you explore unsupervised." There was too much history to risk someone doing damage.

"I like the sound of that." Liz smiled at Jason.

"Lead the way Renaldo." Jason was keeping an eye out to make sure Elizabeth was doing okay.

* * *

After the orientation talk was done they headed outside and followed a guide to Castillo or Fort San Cristobal for a tour of the structure and to learn about the tunnels housed inside. The history buff in Jason was excited to do this, and his girl was looking forward to seeing any art that might have been preserved.

The NPS Ranger who was their guide started out by explaining what life would have been like back in the 1600s when the fort was beginning its construction. Fort San Cristobal took over one hundred fifty years to finally be completed, and the workmanship that went into was considered state of the art for the times. Clearly they knew what they were doing because it was still standing today.

They walked through the main plaza and a tunnel was pointed out. The Ranger explained how they were used to move between levels without an enemy knowing. How supplies were often hidden in the tunnels in case of an emergency. He also explained how the tunnels could be used to trap and kill an opposing force by stashing black powder inside and then detonating it trapping their foe.

From there they moved on to the outworks, or outer defense system. This section was only briefly touched on, just enough to give you an idea of how it helped to keep the fortress from falling into enemy hands. Their guide did explain that there was a tour later in the day that focused just on this topic. Liz thought Jason might like that, so they would need to come back for that.

One thing that was noted while on the outworks portion of the tour was a chimney. The guide encouraged the group to all have a look then told them that it provided light and air to the tunnel that they would be exploring shortly. When they were in the underground passage they should look for the light from this very chimney.

They did a bit more exploring of the fort itself before heading back to the tunnel. At five feet tall and roughly four feet wide it was not going to be an easy fit for the guys. Liz would only need to duck a little, so it wasn't that which gave her pause. It was the fact that the tunnel was pitch black. The guide was handing out flashlights to those who wished to explore while explaining that the tunnel did not connect to anything so once they reached the end they would need to turn around and come back.

At five nine Lee was the smallest guy on the security crew so he ended up going with Elizabeth, because she wanted to have the full experience. There were only fifteen people in their tour group, and including her, Lee, and the tour guide only seven of them went inside. She was expecting it to be musky, but it wasn't. It was cool and that was due in part to the air from the chimney. It was also because at the end of the tunnel they could feel the breeze coming off the Atlantic Ocean. There was also life in the tunnels and someone screamed when a hermit crab scuttled over her foot, which set off a small echo. Once they reached the end Liz and Lee turned around and headed back before the rest of the group. She was fine, and so was he, but the guys out front would be uneasy with her out of their sight.

"How was it?" Max was breathing easier now that she was out.

"Interesting. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to set traps in there. Especially since back then they had open flame torches. I wonder how many people blew themselves up." Liz looked back at the entrance.

"We heard a scream." Jason wanted to know what that was all about.

"Someone got freaked out by a hermit crab." Lee explained as he rolled his shoulders. His skin was flushed from the quick trip. His description of the tunnel would have been cramped.

"There will be a tour leaving twenty minutes after this one ends to go visit the lighthouse." She looked at the guys to see what they thought of that, when no one objected she decided that would be next. "Since the Ranger isn't back out yet I'm going to take some pictures." She moved off a bit and Max followed.

"Should she rest at some point?" Johnny looked over and the bruises around her ankles were still dark.

"Good luck with that." Renaldo said being cheeky.

"I have it covered, but in case I need back up I'm sure I can count on you guys." Jason was going to suggest some downtime after lunch when the day would be at its hottest.

"Count on him. I have to go back with you." Johnny said throwing Renaldo under the bus.

"Coward." Renaldo gave his friend a push while laughing.

"You haven't seen what she can do with a shoe." Johnny said totally serious.

"Here comes the Ranger." Liz let them know as she returned to their small group. They would finish up this tour and wait for the next one.

* * *

"We need to stop for lunch." Jason said as the lighthouse tour ended. His girl was already looking at the website for the park to see what else they could do next.

"Okay." Liz could eat. "I have a list of five dishes we must have before leaving the island. I can't pronounce any of them though."

Johnny just laughed.

"Let me see." Renaldo looked at the list on the phone. "Any one of them can be found anywhere on the island. Number three is actually the national dish. I would recommend Mofongo for lunch. There is a restaurant not too far from here that makes a really good one."

"It sounds delicious." Liz was a big believer of exploring cultures through native foods. Sonny had introduced her to his family roots through many Cuban dishes. Johnny showed her Ireland, and Francis helped her to experience Italy. It was time to taste Puerto Rico.

Mofongo was the unofficial national dish of the island. It was Afro-Puerto Rican in origin and featured fried plantains as the star of the dish. They were picked green, then mashed with salt and pepper. The mixtures was formed into a tight ball and placed in the dish so that it could absorb whatever condiments were served with it. That could include fried or roasted meats, vegetables, and seafood. The website that she had gone to recommend chicharron, pork cracklings, and she was going to go with that if it was on the menu.

"You will probably need to nap after. It's a very filling dish." Renaldo threw Jason a helping hand.

"I didn't see anything about siesta being a tradition on the island." Liz thought she knew what that was about. She would go along with the suggestion because it would calm down Jason. "However a rest during the hottest part of the day might not be a bad idea. I don't want to burn." Although she was wearing sunblock. "You guys can play poker to keep you out of trouble."

"Where is the restaurant?" Jason was ready to get them moving.

"Follow my car." Renaldo said as they walked back to the parking lot. Liz was going to keep Jason on his toes. Hopefully Johnny would send down regular reports.

* * *

"You can go." Liz put down her tote bag on the island in the kitchen. "I'll be okay if you spend time with your friends."

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Jason walked over and wrapped his arms around his girl.

"Never." She kissed the underside of his jaw. "I don't want to be that girlfriend."

"What girlfriend?" Jason had no idea what she meant.

"The one who has to be the center of her boyfriend's attention all the time. The one who can't share him with the friends he had before they started dating." Elizabeth explained what she meant. "I know that the guys are playing poker while I relax. I also know you like to play poker. There is no need for you to sit here and watch me sleep."

"I came down to spend time with you." Jason rested his cheek on the top of her head. Without heels she was much shorter than him.

"You can, when I'm awake." Liz said laughing. "I feel guilty about you being stuck here while I'm napping. Yes, this is me admitting that I'm tired." She could be stubborn, but the yawning at lunch had given away her current energy level.

"Are you sure?" Jason got the impression that she wanted him to leave for some other reason other than her nap. He also was thinking that she would tell him what that reason was when he returned.

"Positive. Go, have fun." Looking she pursed her lips and he responded to her silent request for a kiss.

"Call me if you need me." Jason said getting another kiss. "I'm right down the walk."

"I can see the bungalow from the window in the front room." She said with a small laugh. "Have fun with the guys. When I wake up I'll call you and demand you return."

"Want to go out for dinner?" Jason could get another restaurant recommendation from Renaldo or Lee.

"Let's play it by ear." Liz really did like ending the day with just the two of them. Dinner out was going to happen at some point though.

"Okay." Jason kissed her again. "I'm just down the road."

"Go." Liz smiled and gave him a small push. She followed him to the door and locked up knowing he was listening for the sound of the bolt being thrown.

Alone she leaned against the wooden panel and took a shaky breath. Already the fear was pushing down on her. Yet this was an important step. One that the sooner she took the better. That was something she learned in therapy. Being able to trust that she was okay on her own was one of the key steps in reclaiming her life. Honestly she wasn't surprised that this issue got worse because it never really left in the first place. She wasn't alone when Logan ambushed them, as opposed to being alone when she was hurt as a teenager.

But she had been on her own when she sprung her trap. She had only herself to count on and she had done it. That was what she was going to keep reminding herself. She was stronger now than when she had been hurt before. She was stronger, and Jason was less than five minutes away if she needed him.

"I'll work on some sketches." She said out loud to herself. Work always got her through tough times. "First I'll get changed for my nap." She would dig out Jason's shirt that he wore yesterday, having his scent surrounding her would make this easier.

* * *

"What exactly did you do to get thrown out?" Johnny wanted to know. They had been surprised when Jason showed up to play cards. He was only half here, so they would let him get what was on his mind out into the open then send him back home. He'd been here an hour already, and he wasn't going to last much longer.

"I didn't get thrown out." Jason said tossing chips into the pile. They were playing for money and he was losing. "It was strongly suggested that I come hang out with you losers because Elizabeth said she didn't want to be the girlfriend who breaks up friendships."

"Johnny, Max, and Lee are the single guys at the table. Which makes them the losers." Renaldo said grinning. "Although Lee and Max are single by choice, Johnny is single because no woman will have him."

O'Brien responded by flipping Renaldo off.

"How did she seem when she told you to come play poker." Max wanted to know.

"Off, but I couldn't put my finger on why." Jason was frowning. "She's not angry, or upset. She didn't seem scared. Still something wasn't right." Every man at the table trusted their instincts. His said she had a plan for the time they were apart.

Renaldo folded his cards because his hand was crap. "I might know what she's doing. Now keep in mind that I might also be way off base."

"Go ahead." Jason also folded his hand. The others at the table put their cards down, but it was clear they were still interested in finishing the round.

"My girl Leyla, she's a nurse here on the island. Right now she's visiting her sister otherwise I would have introduced her to Liz already." Renaldo told the guys. "Not long after we started officially dating she got jumped by a patient at the hospital. He beat her up pretty good. She had to go through therapy and rehab but she healed. Went back to work and everything." Although she transferred departments, from being on the wards to working in obstetrics.

"You get his name?" Jason wanted to know.

"I did, and it was handled." Renaldo had personally taken care of the asshole, still it made him feel good that his boss was going to approve that step. "She's doing great now, but there is one lingering issue. She sometimes has trouble being alone. It makes her feel vulnerable. In the beginning this was a major issue."

"Is that when you took some time off?" Johnny remembered Francis approving the request.

"Yeah. I wanted to be there for whatever she needed. I came back to work when she returned to the hospital." Renaldo had hovered. Nothing could have stopped him from doing that. Luckily she didn't kill him. "When she gets like that she makes me take a walk so she can work through it. I gave her a hard time at first because leaving her when she was struggling went against everything in me." The guys were nodding. "Her therapist had to arbitrate. She said I should go if Leyla seemed alright. However if Leyla looked like she was pushing when she shouldn't, then I could stay."

"I think Renaldo may be right." Max told them about the conversation he had with Liz right after her massage.

"She's going to tell you at some point." Johnny firmly believed that.

"Elizabeth is trying when she knows that we are close by." Jason was listening closely to what Renaldo was saying. That it was important to respect Elizabeth's need to work through things on her own, while also recognizing he should speak up if she was pushing herself too hard. "Does Leyla call you and say come home, or do you have a set time for your walks?"

"She calls. I generally go down the block to the coffee shop." Renaldo couldn't make himself go any further.

"I'm sorry your girl was hurt, but I'm glad she's doing better now." Jason told his friend. The other guys nodded silently echoing his statement.

"Thanks. Liz is strong, she'll get past this. Giving her the support she needs will help." Renaldo shared what he learned. "She has you, and she has Max for when you aren't around."

"Liz will also tell you if she needs anything else. After she tries on her own first." Johnny said grinning. It amazed him how strong she was.

"I'll stay here until she calls, or until it's time to start dinner." Jason decided. "I need to make a reservation for later in the trip. Somewhere nice."

"I'll get you some names and you can look them up." Renaldo told his friend.

Jason nodded and watched his friends finish this hand while he tried not to worry too much about Elizabeth.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	12. Chapter 12

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 12

At the two hour mark she called and asked him to return to the bungalow. The nap she was trying to take just wasn't happening. He was either standing right outside the front door, or he ran the short distance between the homes because it took him no time at all to walk into the house.

"You couldn't sleep?" Jason was guessing. When his phone rang he had just dropped his hand and pretty much bolted from the room. By the time he answered on the third ring, Jason had been halfway between the two buildings.

"No. I'm having trouble being alone." She told him unknowingly confirming Renaldo's suspicion. Liz was on the couch with her sketch pad and pencil on the table. She had gotten down a good number of rough sketches. The local flowers she saw today were her inspiration. Capturing their vivid colors was going to take some doing but she was up to the challenge. These images would be the central theme of her next spring/summer collection. Not this coming year, but the one after since this coming spring/summer collection was what she sent off to the seamstresses before Logan happened. She tried to always stay at least nine months ahead to allow time for her pieces to be assembled. When they came in she stored them until it was time to put them on the website. Her sketches for next year's fall/winter line were already completed.

"What can I do to help you?" Jason sat next to her on the sofa and took her hand in his.

"You already are helping. You have been with me almost constantly since bringing me home. You make me feel safe. That's always been part of our relationship, the ability we have to make each other feel secure. Right now it's a bigger part of our relationship than I want it to be." She said looking into his eyes. Liz paused for a moment before speaking again.

"From time to time on this trip I'll need you to not be around for a couple of hours, but I'm willing to have Max on standby. When we go home he'll be with me when you're not. Or whoever is standing guard back home will be around." Liz recognized from this point forward she wouldn't ever really be alone again. A guard would be around even if they weren't in her direct line of vision. So she needed to get to the point where being alone in the penthouse or her studio was okay. She could start working on that while they were down here. "Today was about seeing just how bad it is."

"What did you learn?" Jason moved so that he was closer.

"That it's not as bad as when I was a teenager." Liz took that to be good news. It showed how much stronger she was now. "I was really a mess then. My parents actually had to hire someone to be with me when they and my gram were working." That had only happened after her therapist insisted.

Jason didn't say anything about that. Elizabeth's parents didn't take any time off to help their daughter. They had worked the entire time she was recovering. They only took a few days off during the trial that followed, saying that since Audrey was there they weren't needed. His relationship with the Drs. Webber was not close and that wouldn't be changing.

"There weren't any tears. Just a whole lot of shaking." Liz said squeezing his hand. "I guess I'm saving my tears for when I have nightmares. I'd warn you that there is a good chance I'll have one tonight, but considering I've been having them since we arrived you already know." She was ready for them to go away.

He heard the sharpness of her voice. "Take it easy on yourself." That's what was at the root of the tone. "Healing takes time."

Liz just nodded. That was something she heard from her therapist often when she younger. Unfortunately it was in direct opposition to what she heard at home. Where her mother said that if Elizabeth wanted to get her life back then she needed to move past this and get on with things. That if she was stronger that wouldn't be a problem. Considering neither one of her parents had ever survived a violent act it took years to realize her mom had no clue what she was talking about. What hurt the most was that her parents extended more compassion to their patients then they did to their child. "I'm impatient."

"I know." Jason said laughing. "I've seen you when a design isn't coming together the way you want it to. You've also got a really dirty mouth."

"I have no clue what you are talking about." Liz said leaning into him and laughing. Having his support felt so incredibly good.

"If it makes you feel better, you are still a better patient than I am." Jason said with a boyish grin.

"No comment." Liz replied with a smirk. The last time he got hurt he went through five nurses in the same amount of days. Finally Lila sent Alice over, and the housekeeper managed to get Jason to stay in bed. Liz did her part by coming over as often as possible because she was the only other person who could get him to stay still. "So what should we do with the rest of the day?" It wasn't even three.

"How about the beach? We haven't gone down yet. The beaches here are beautiful, and I want to share that with you." Jason thought getting out to the house would be good for her. "Since the sun is past its apex you stand a good chance of not burning." There were also umbrellas down there to protect her from the harsh rays.

"Are the guys coming down with us?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"No, why?" Jason would take his phone just in case. However they didn't need guards on the private stretch of beach.

"Whether or not we are alone will dictate which suit I wear." She said with a smile. She wore suits with more coverage in the hot tub in case one of the guys dropped by unannounced for some reason. If they were going to be alone on the beach she could wear something a little sexier and just bring her cover up.

"Is that right?" Jason asked with a half-smile. "So if I close the pool at the Towers for us then I get to see more skin?"

"That's not fair to the other tenants." Liz would never ask that of him. "Access to the pool is written into the lease."

"Let me rephrase that. If we use the pool after hours, I'll get to see more skin." Jason had twenty-four hour access to the heated pool, because unlike the gym it did close.

"Yes." Liz answered grinning. If they moved to their own home at some point he would see a lot of skin on a more regular basis.

"I will keep that in mind." Jason was wondering if she might want to move to a house with a pool. If she was open to the idea then he was going to look into possibly having the water enclosed like at the mansion. With their own private space he might be able to get her to ditch the swimwear altogether. "Come on. The ocean is waiting." He stood up and held out his hand.

* * *

Several things came to mind when his girlfriend said she wanted to show more skin. None of them came close to what actually happened. That turned out to be a good thing because if Jason had any clue what was under the white cover up Elizabeth had on when she stepped out of the bathroom they would still be in their tropical home. In bed.

"You're still staring." Liz was with a smile. The suit was designed for impact, and it delivered. This one wasn't one of hers. During a trip last fall to New York during fashion week, where yes she dreamed of having her own show, she had done some shopping. Since the beach season was over the suits were on sale and the bright yellow string bikini simply refused to stay in the store. So she bought it.

"I'm trying to figure out exactly how it is my eyes haven't popped out of my head yet." Jason said as those eyes moved down his girl's body again and over the bright triangles of fabric. "How long have you owned that suit?"

Liz just laughed. "That isn't what you really want to know." She said calling him out. "You want to know if I've worn it before because you want to know if anyone else has seen me in it." The bit of possessiveness he was showing had her ego patting itself on the back. He wouldn't never get out of hand with that emotion, but some was never a bad thing.

"Yes, I do." Jason loved that his girl had the confidence to call him out on that.

"I've never worn it before." She said smiling. "Never had a place to. I could have put it on to sit around the pool with Em, but somehow having the other members of your family see me in this didn't seem right." Her best friend swore that her cousin Dillon had a crush on Elizabeth. So no, she would not be wearing a small bikini at the mansion.

"You would kill Dillon. He would just fall over dead." Jason was aware of the crush. If the two of them were in the same room his cousin always wanted to hear about Elizabeth. Since Dillon was only sixteen, Jason didn't bother to try and warn him off. "Not that I blame him."

Liz laughed so hard that her elbow slipped and she fell back onto the blanket. "Every time I see him now I'm going to have that image in my head."

Jason took advantage of the fact that his girlfriend was stretched out to roll to his side so that he was half over her. He dropped his head and let his lips cover hers. "I really do like the suit." He also really liked that it was just for him. It couldn't even be seen through the cover up because that had a lining.

"I thought you might. I'll be leaving it down here." Liz had packed it just in case. "I really like your blue trunks." It was a color that suited him.

"I think these are the only thing in this shade of blue in my entire wardrobe." Jason would need to check. Blue was a color that he really liked wearing, but generally he stuck to the ends of the spectrum. Dark or light. Just like he did with most other colors. Jewel tones were not his first choice.

That didn't surprise her, this hue of blue would probably just be too bright for him. "So does that mean I'm the only one who will see you in them?" She let her hand drift down his back.

"That is exactly what it means." Jason leaned in for another kiss, because her lips were right there.

"Good." He wasn't the only one who could be possessive.

"Sonny has a yacht at the marina, would you like to go out and spend a day on the water?" Jason could drive the vessel. So could Johnny and Renaldo.

"Can you fish while we are out?" That would make the day out not just about her. Liz loved the water. It relaxed her just being around it. A water feature for the penthouse might be nice. She'd have to look into that when they got back home.

"Yes, we can." Jason liked fishing, which had come as a surprise to him. He learned from Francis who loved fishing.

"Then a day on the water sounds great. The guys will be with us?" Liz wouldn't mind.

"They will. It's just safer to have folks with us when we go out that far." Jason wouldn't ever do anything to risk her safety. "I'd also like to take you out to dinner. Somewhere nice."

"A fancy dress up date?" Liz was all for him in a suit.

"Yup. I have the names of a few restaurants we can decide together where to go, or I can just pick and surprise you." Jason gave her some options.

"Pick. One request. Let's go somewhere you've never been before." Liz wanted to experience something new together.

"That will not be a problem." Jason rolled to his back and urged her closer. He really was enjoying these wide loungers. They had been out on the sand for a couple of hours now. With the sun setting later they still had plenty of sunlight left. "Should we get in the water?" They hadn't done so yet. "Or can you not get the suit wet?"

Liz just snorted. "I am not one of those girls who buys a suit you can't swim in. That is pointless."

Jason just laughed at her outrage. He grabbed his phone and sent a message. "Let's go in before the temperature drops." The water wouldn't get really cold, but Liz tended to catch a chill fairly easily. Although warming her up wouldn't be a hardship at all.

"Is everything okay?" She pointed to the phone.

"I'm telling Johnny that we are getting in the water. If I don't text him back in the next forty-five minutes he will come look." Jason did the same thing if he came down to swim alone, which wasn't really safe to do. He would no longer be taking that risk.

"Smart." Liz stood up and thanks to the lounger she wasn't covered in sand. When their fingers were linked they headed down to the water.

* * *

"What time do the shops on the island close?" Liz wanted to know.

"Depends on the area. Around here probably close to ten. They will want to make themselves available to tourists who are taking an after dinner stroll." Jason had just finished a shower which meant he was standing in the bedroom in just his towel. His girl was back in his shirt having showered first. "What did you need? We have runners down here as well."

"I need to shop for this in person." Liz said realizing she sounded cryptic. "I want to make a dress for our date."

"Really?" Jason asked smiling.

"Really." Liz said smiling back at him. "It won't take me very long. I know what I want it to look like, I just need to find the right fabric. I will also need a sewing machine." She paused briefly. "Would it be okay if I took a corner of one of the other bedrooms?"

"You can have an entire room as work space if you want." Jason had no problem with making any changes necessary for her to be happy here.

"I don't plan to spend a lot of time working when we come down. I like relaxing and having down time with you. I also want to wear something specific for our date. I could waste a whole day going in and out of clothing stores looking for it, or I could spend a few hours on a couple of different nights making it."

He was guessing while she was sewing he would be out of the house. "We can do that tomorrow if you like. Or you can just shop with Max." Walking over he dropped a kiss on her lips before walking into the closet and grabbing sleep pants. Coming back he stretched out next to her. "How did you get started as a designer?" He knew a lot about her, but he didn't know this.

"My gram." Liz had taken her earrings off to go to the beach, but now they were back on. She wore them to feel close to her grandmother who had been her best friend for all the time she could remember. "She sewed, and in the summers she would make me rompers and dresses. I was always so excited to go over her house and get them. I could only wear them there so I never wanted to leave." She said smiling at the memory.

"Why couldn't you wear them anywhere else?" Jason asked confused.

"One of my mother's friends made a snarky remark about one of the dresses. They said I looked like a ragamuffin, and that Carolyn should dress me better. Never mind that I loved the dress I was wearing at the time. My gram made me clothes that I could roll around on the ground and get dirty in. Not the ruffled nightmares my mom liked to shove me in like I was a doll." Liz just rolled her eyes. At times when she was growing up Elizabeth felt more like a status symbol than anything else. Like her worth was based on how well she did compared to the children of her parents friends.

"I wonder why parents do that to their children." Jason replied with a smirk. "Lila told me a story once about how I ruined a three hundred dollar suit when I was five. Who puts a kid in something that expensive?" He didn't understand that line of thinking.

"Our parents." Liz said with a smirk of her own. "When I was nine my gram started teaching me how to sew. We made a quilt together for my room at her house. It was love at first stitch. By the time I was twelve I was making my own dresses, shirts, shorts, and skirts. By the time I was sixteen I was making prom dresses for my schoolmates and earning cash." She didn't go to the formals. "I made enough money that my senior year I was able to buy a car." She said grinning. "It was crap, but it had four wheels and an engine."

"Why are you not in New York working for a big name designer? Not that I'm complaining. With you in Port Charles we were able to get to this point." Jason covered her hand.

"I was set to take the Big Apple by storm. I didn't have a job but I was going to move down and try to get someone's attention." Liz told him. "Then my gram got sick and I didn't want to be too far away. So I decided to make my mark in Port Charles. I bought a web domain, made some clothes, and put them out there for purchase."

"How long until you got your first sale?" Jason was so proud of her.

"Two weeks. During which I swore I was going to be the biggest failure ever. Gram just kept saying to give it time." Liz missed the older woman so much. "I'm not sure which one of us cried harder at my first sale. After that I started selling more items, and now I have regular customers. I sell out of stock. I ship items to other countries. It's amazing." It still gave her pause.

"Do you ever think of going to New York now?" Jason didn't want to hold her back from her dreams.

"Not to live or set up shop." Liz shook her head no. "I don't need to. I'm a successful young entrepreneur who is harnessing the power of the internet to take over the world." She said being dramatic. "While places like New York, Milan, London, and Paris are still the center of the fashion world designers no longer need to live there to be a part of the industry. I may never be a name that everyone instantly recognizes, but that doesn't make the success I have achieved less valid."

Her confidence and strength left him in awe. Mainly because he knew that she had worked hard to heal after being hurt. She had survived two incidents that might have left others afraid to even leave the house, but she hadn't let that stop her. Yes she was struggling some now, however she was letting him see that. Which took its own measure of strength. "No it doesn't. I'm proud of you." Jason watched as she blushed.

"I'm not saving lives. I'm just keeping people from being naked." Liz said before laughing. Her ego was firmly in check.

"I'm still proud of you." Jason leaned forward and kissed her. "Have you considered making men's clothing?"

"Johnny asks me that all the time." Liz told her boyfriend. "I'd need to learn how. It's actually not as easy as just cutting out a different pattern and sewing the pieces together. Men's clothes hang differently and often use different types of fabric. So I'd need free time to teach myself about those things. Time I don't have right now, but at some point down the line I am considering it. If I do decide to dip my toes in those waters I know I have a lot of volunteers willing to test out what I design." The support made her feel great.

"I would wear anything you make." Jason would be first in line.

"Be careful about promising that." Liz said with a mischievous grin. "I like color." Although for him she would do subtle.

"You'll give those clothes to Johnny and some of the other guys." Jason knew she was just teasing him. "You'll save all the boring stuff for me and Sonny." His partner liked wearing grey when it came to his suits.

"I won't be able to find a better model for my future clothing line than you." Liz said leaning over and kissing him.

He dropped her a wink. "It's time to get some food into you." Jason rolled from the bed. "Come on, I'll cook and then we can watch some television."

"I could eat." Liz said following him out of the room.

* * *

The nightmare let her go and Elizabeth woke up covered in sweat. Jason was holding her tightly and instead of feeling trapped, that made her feel safe. Unfortunately her stomach was rolling rather violently. "Let go." She managed to get out. Instantly he complied and she sprinted for the bathroom.

Feeling helpless Jason did the only thing he could in this situation which was to hold her hair and rub her back so she knew he was with her. When she finished being sick he got her some water to rinse her mouth, then some mouthwash to get rid of the taste. When she leaned back he was right there to support her. "Do you need aspirin?"

"No." Liz just closed her eyes and waited to see if her stomach was going to protest some more. "I want to take a shower. Will you please sit in the bathroom while I do?" She didn't want company in the glass enclosure, but she wanted him close.

"I can do that." Jason helped her to her feet and when she was under the spray he quickly went to grab her a clean shirt before coming back and sitting on the vanity stool to wait for her to be done.

Liz let the water wash away the sweat from the bad dream and turned off the spray. She didn't feel dirty so soaping up wasn't necessary. When she opened the door Jason was right there with a towel. She let him help her into his shirt before brushing her teeth and then following him into the bedroom. "I'm tired." She didn't want to talk about the nightmare, they could do that tomorrow.

"Want me to turn on the television?" Maybe the sound would help her relax. It wouldn't bother him.

"No. Having you close is enough." Liz said moving closer.

"I'll be here when you wake up." Jason promised before kissing her forehead as her eyes drifted shut. Hoping she would pass the rest of the night peacefully he slept as well.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 13

She woke up surrounded by Jason. Turning her face into the space where his neck met his shoulder she let his scent fill her nostrils. Looking up she realized he was still asleep. This was the first time since they started sleeping together that she had woken up before him. If she had to guess Elizabeth would say that he stayed awake for a while to make sure she was sleeping comfortably.

She had been in relationships before, serious long term ones. Not ever in her life had a man made her feel the many and complex feelings that Jason brought out in her. They started out as friends, and she wouldn't change that for anything. That time allowed them to build the foundation for what they had now. By the time they reached the point where they were ready to move into a romantic relationship they had already seen the best and worst of each other. They didn't have any secrets waiting be revealed, or things that they needed to hide.

She had a previous boyfriend who had been just that a boy in a man's body. He had been threatened by her blossoming career and that she didn't make him the center of her universe. It had been a shock to her because he had his own very successful career so if anyone knew the work that went into that it should have been him. Being someone's trophy wife that hosted dinner parties to advance his career was not her life's goal. Hopefully his new wife fulfilled that need for him.

Liz expected that she would act as hostess to Jason's associates from time to time. At the same time she knew her guy wasn't expecting her to drop everything and schedule her life around his. That parting hadn't been as painful as the last breakup she experienced.

When Zander broke her heart it had been Jason she turned to. During the months where she decided that dating needed to be on the back burner while she took some time to focus on herself, he had been there taking her on bike rides and challenging her to games of pool. They did a lot of laughing, talking, and just hanging out not saying a word.

One morning she had woken up to the realization that Jason was what her heart wanted. Honestly she guessed that knowledge had been in the back of her brain all along. Know she was in a place where she was ready to admit it. Then she had to work up the nerve to say the words out loud to him. When she did, she started the sentence and he finished it. His heart wanted her too. Best feeling in the world. Or one of them because waking up in his arms felt pretty damn good too.

Liz was hoping that this was a feeling she would get to experience this for a really long time. Like for the rest of her life. Now she was ready to start her day, and she wanted to start it off making love with her guy. Which meant she was going to have to wake him up.

There were a couple of different ways she could do that. What she decided on was the hands on approach. Literally. Her arm was thrown over his waist so she didn't have to move her hand far so that she could push past the waistband on his sleep pants. He must have fallen asleep before disrobing, because normally they would be on floor. Since he also didn't sleep in underwear his hard cock was right there. Wrapping her hand around the rigid shaft Liz started to slowly stroke.

Jason went from sleep to wide awake. There were two feelings vying for his immediate attention. The first, and the one that was winning if he was being honest, was Elizabeth's hand on his cock. Any time she touched him it was extremely pleasurable. Honestly he didn't realize just how tactile he was until she started touching him more often. But her hand in its current location could reduce him to begging in a matter of minutes.

The second feeling was also extremely wonderful. Her soft lips were placing kisses along his jaw and down his neck. Her lips were one of his favorite spots on her body. Kissing was something he didn't do a lot of, even with former girlfriends. For some reason it didn't really seem very necessary outside of the bedroom. He did it there because it was expected. Since the first time he kissed Elizabeth all he wanted to do was kiss her again.

Combining the two sensations was reducing him to shaking. "Baby." He managed to get out. The word ended on a short moan as she squeezed him a little tighter.

"Morning." Liz said not stopping the journey her lips were taking over his skin. "You were looking delicious lying there, so I had to have a taste." She said against his skin. "You don't mind do you?"

"No." Jason's hand came up and tangled in her hair. He just wanted to be touching her. After her upset earlier in the morning he wasn't looking for them to make love. His girl clearly had a different opinion on that matter. "Not at all."

"Good." Liz said kissing the skin behind his ear. "I'll just keep going then." She whispered before sucking his lobe into her mouth and nibbling lightly.

"Oh fuck!" Jason's whole body tightened.

Liz laughed because she couldn't hold it in. He liked that a lot, something she would have to remember. Her lips moved back down his neck as her left hand pushed up his shirt. "You are way over dressed." She said in mock annoyance. "Next time be naked. " All the while she was still slowly stroking his cock, not giving him quite enough pressure or speed to get off.

"Careful of your hand." Jason said not wanting her to further injure her hand. She didn't sleep with the brace on so it was unprotected at the moment.

"I'm fine." Liz promised him, pushing his shirt higher.

Since it was clear the material was in the way he leaned forward so that he was able to reach behind him and pull it off. "Better?" Jason asked with a grin.

"I am such a big fan of your body." Liz said kissing the middle of his chest as she urged him to his back. "I very much appreciate that you work so hard to stay in shape. There are so many textures for my fingers to enjoy." She lightly drifted the digits over his abs making sure to caress the spaces between the defined muscles. She leaned forward and let her tongue follow the path her fingers just moved over.

Jason was shaking harder as his girlfriend proved her mastery over his body. He'd never had a lover give him a tongue bath before. His fingers tangled in the soft silk of her hair because he still needed to have his hands on her as well. It was so sexy having her just take charge and any time she wanted to do so he was happy to let her.

"Push off your pants." Liz commanded as she dropped a kiss above his belly button. He didn't hesitate to do so and to reward him for being so obedient she took his throbbing shaft in the wet heat of her mouth. Not even giving him time to adjust to the new sensation she started humming as she took him as deep as she could.

He hadn't ever felt anything like this in his life, and holding back was damn near impossible. He was trying to not be selfish, although he wasn't going to leave her hanging. Tasting her was something he was anxious to do. So that would not be an issue. Just before he reached his breaking point she pulled back, and he was able to take in a full breath.

"Ready?" Liz already had her answer. He was like granite in her fist. The man was on edge and it seemed unfair to tease him further. Which was fine because she hadn't planned on this being a long morning of loving. Despite taking the time to tease him, she had woke up feeling impatient to have him.

"Don't you want me to go down on you?" Jason asked surprised.

"Another time." Liz said with a sexy smile. "Right now I need you inside me. I want to feel your body stretching mine and filling me up." She watched his eyes turn darker as his arousal spiked.

Jason didn't have a response for what she just said. She had fried his circuits with how fucking sexy she was. His girl was not holding back and he had no complaints about that. None whatsoever. She let him go and gathered up the shirt she was wearing. He thought she was going to remove it, but that didn't happen. Instead she tied the fabric in a knot just below her breasts baring the lower half of her body to his gaze.

"Watch." She said straddling his hips and rising up on her knees. "Watch me take you inside my body. Look at me while I swallow every single inch of your cock." Liz told him as she placed her center over his rigid shaft and slowly began to slide down the throbbing column of flesh. When she got halfway down she reversed course making him curse and tighten his fingers on her hips. She couldn't help feel powerful and the sensual smile on her face conveyed that.

Jason's eyes never strayed from the intensely erotic show that she was putting on just for him. This was a new bedroom experience for him and somehow it made what he was feeling that much more intense. To see his skin covered in the honey that her body produced had him moaning. Not wanting to make her do all the work he put his feet on the bed and pushed up as she brought her hips back down.

"Yes!" Liz said throwing her head back. He was hitting a spot inside her body that no one else had ever reached before. Physically and emotionally he was giving her more than anyone else ever had. "Again!" She said looking into his eyes once more and feeling the connection they shared grow stronger. "Harder!"

He had to give her what she demanded. There was simply no other option. With both his hands on her hips he pumped up into the tight channel within her body increasing the pleasure for them both. "Elizabeth." Jason wasn't sure just how much more he could take. She was destroying him each time she slid over his sensitive flesh.

She could tell by the way he said her name that he was done. Honestly so was she. Taking him in her mouth had pushed her to edge and then finally feeling him filling her up had almost pushed her over. Once they were joined she hadn't wanted this morning of loving to end. So she had held off as long as she could. Her body was shaking and she had a light sheen of sweat on her skin from the effort. "Come for me Jason. Let me feel you exploding inside me. Fill me to overflowing with your cream."

Any control he had simply crumbled like wet sand. He had no idea his girl would ever talk like that in bed. It was hotter than he could have even imagined. To realize she felt free enough when they were together like this that she could play was fantastic. He came so hard his eyes rolled back in his head, but even as he was deep in his release he felt her muscles tighten around him signaling she had come as well.

Elizabeth felt like she had received an electric shock her orgasm was so powerful. It literally stole her breath as it moved out from where they were joined and traveled through her body. Her hips moved over him keeping the sensations going for them both and when she came a second time she shook hard enough to make her teeth chatter.

Finished she leaned forward and put her forehead on the middle of his chest. "Wow." She was still breathing hard and her body was tingling. "That was something else."

"Yeah." Jason was a sweaty mess. "Lift up." He was too sensitive to stay inside her. Which was a first for him.

"Kay." She did so, with some assistance from her guy. When she saw that his hand was shaking she couldn't help but feel some feminine pride. "Feel good?" Normally he was the one checking in, but she just wanted to make sure he enjoyed himself.

"That was incredible." Jason said urging her close. It was easily the best sex of his life.

"I wanted to try something new this morning." She said relaxing against him. "Thank you for letting me be in charge." The results of her experiment had been spectacular. If he was willing they would have to do this again. "I've never done that before." She admitted with a grin. "I might want to do that again."

"You can be in charge as often as you like." Jason wanted her to know. "Where did you learn that?"

"A movie." She admitted blushing some. "I went to this party where a friend of mine was selling sex toys and she had movies playing in the background. It was kind of like a tutorial for how to use the products she was selling." It had been an interesting night to say the least. "An opportunity to learn something new should not be missed. Honestly though I never actually thought I would do any of the things I saw. I never felt comfortable enough with a guy to just let go."

"Did you buy anything?" Jason wanted to know. He had heard every word she said, and the part where she said he was giving her something no one else ever had made his ego swell.

"No." Liz said laughing. "Sorry if that is disappointing."

"It's not." Jason said kissing her forehead. "You don't need to bring anything but you to our bed."

Liz heard the unspoken message. That if she wanted to try out something new he was willing. It was all about them feeling good. It felt amazing to have a man who was so secure of himself in her life. Turning her face up his lips were right there for a kiss. "I'm sleepy."

"You can sleep more if you like." Jason looked over at the clock. It wasn't even six yet. She could sleep for a few more hours if she wanted and they would still have time to do something fun. Or she could sleep for the rest of the day and they would just relax at the house. Whatever she wanted to do was fine with him.

* * *

By nine they were both up and dressed. She was back in the same outfit she wore the day she got her massage since it didn't get much use that morning. "Can we take the boat out today?"

"Sure. I need to call over and have it prepped. I also need to call the marina and get a weather update." Jason let her know. "If I get the all clear we can go out around noon if that's okay." Sonny had people who were paid to watch the vessel around the clock. Still some things needed to be done before they hit the open water. During the call he could also find out where the hot fishing spots were this season.

"That will be perfect. While you are doing all that I can run into town and get the supplies for my dress. If there's a fabric shop." Liz amended her statement.

"Let me call Renaldo. He'll know where to go." Jason said reaching for his phone.

"If you call in a lunch order we can pick that up as well. Since we'll be in town." Liz didn't see any reason he should have a runner drive out to the compound.

"Renaldo will know who to call." Jason replied as he listened to the phone ring.

* * *

The head of the island guards did have all the information they needed. Everything could be acquired in Dorado, so they didn't even have to travel that far. They started with the fabric store that was recommended by the wife of one of the island crew. While Liz searched the shelves Renaldo would ask the proprietor where they could go for a sewing machine. His colleague's wife didn't know where to get the kind Liz wanted.

She pulled out her phone as they got out of the car and set the timer. Max saw her and just grinned. "Why do you need to set an alarm?" He wanted to know.

"Fabric stores are a weakness of mine." Liz admitted with a rueful grin. "I can stay in here all day if left alone. We don't have that kind of time, and I'm not going to do that to you."

"I go with you wherever you need to go." Max said holding the door and following her inside. "If you need to be in the fabric store all day then that is what happens." He said shrugging. Complaining about his job wasn't going to be an issue.

"You say that now." Liz started laughing. "When it comes time for me to select fabrics for my next line you may be singing a different tune." When you looked for the fabrics to bring her designs to life she took her time because the wrong selection could destroy a look. "Would you mind wearing more casual clothing when we are together?" She wanted to know as they moved through the store. "I'm not doing anything that requires you to look so nice."

"We need to get approval to not wear suits in Port Charles." Renaldo had joined them having gotten the information needed.

"If I ask Jason and he says yes will that bother you?" Liz asked Max. "It just seems a waste for you to get dressed up to sit in my studio." At the same time she didn't want him uncomfortable. Johnny felt weird not wearing suits to work. Sonny was the same way.

"I'll be fine either way." Max told her. What he didn't say was that he would be the envy of a number of the guys if he got to wear jeans or khakis to work most days.

"I'll talk to Jason." Liz said turning down the aisle she needed. She hit the start button so that the alarm would sound in one hour if she hadn't made a selection. "I may need some assistance." She looked over at the guys. "I case you hadn't noticed I'm kind of short, and the shelves are a good height." She said poking fun at herself. "I may need you to get something down so I can look at it." Or she would have to call over the shop owner and she was guessing the guys would rather she limit her interactions with strangers.

"That won't be a problem." Renaldo said laughing. Because yeah, she was short.

"Let me look through the lower shelves first." Liz set off to find something that matched, or came close to, the vision in her head.

* * *

"I probably should have asked this before we took off from the marina, but you don't get seasick do you?" Jason had totally messed up by not checking.

"I wouldn't have agreed to coming out if I did." Liz said giving him a smile. Her morning of shopping had been a success and when they returned home tonight she would start working on her outfit for their date. Now they were out on the open water almost at the cove where the guys would fish, and she would relax. She had no problem with a day that was centered around her boyfriend. The man had more than earned it.

He was in dark green shorts that had yellow on the hemline and up the side seam for a splash of color. He had paired it with a sleeveless light grey shirt that showed off his arms. She was a big fan of his biceps. His skin was already a little darker from their time out yesterday and she was guessing by tonight he would be sporting a full on tan. In fact she and Johnny were the only two folks who were still pale.

"Jason. Ten minutes." Lee leaned out of the wheelhouse to tell his boss. He was doing his best to keep his eyes off of Elizabeth in her cover up. The guys were hanging out inside the vessel's wheelhouse to give the couple some privacy. When the fishing started they would come out.

"Catch something for dinner tonight." Liz said leaning forward and kissing her guy. Everyone had been excited for a chance to fish. So they would have to do this again before leaving.

"Can I see your suit before I go impress you with my fishing skills?" Jason hadn't seen it at the bungalow. She was wearing her cover up again, and it was long enough to be a sundress on her which was how she wore it to the yacht.

"Sure, I actually need you to put sunblock on my back." Liz was looking forward to getting his opinion on her swimwear. It was completely different from the two other suits he had seen. She had picked it because it was modest and with all the guys around she wanted more coverage. Not that she had to worry about them, it was just a modesty thing.

"I am extremely qualified for that job." Jason would not pass up the chance to put his hands on her body. He just needed to make sure his body stayed under control.

"I thought so. You just have that look about you." She teased him as she handed over the sunblock. Standing up she pulled the cover up over her head to show him the bathing suit. The red and white polka dot two piece suit was modeled on a pin up girl outfit from the forties. The bottom were longer shorts than what most suits had these days and were embellished with three large white dots on each thigh to catch the eye. The top was a halter style bra with a cross tie in the front. The cups gave her full coverage and made her boobs look fantastic.

"Is that one of yours?" Jason said taking her in. She looked…ripe was the only word that came to mind.

"Yup." Liz had sold out of this style of suit, in both the red and blue, three times. It would be making a return next year in a different pattern. "I have it in blue as well."

"Here with you?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yup." She said again. He really liked it. "Sunblock please." She turned around and heard him groan as her bottom came into view. The shorts were designed to show off a woman's curves and her behind.

"I'm not sure if I want you to leave these here or bring them back with you." Jason said taking her in.

"I have two, I can leave one here." Liz looked over her shoulder at him and grinned. Actually she would probably leave them both here, and make herself some new ones at some point this summer. It would be a good way to test out a different fabric.

"If my blood was flowing through my brain right now, I would have thought of that." Jason was going to have a hard time concentrating on the fish. "Sit down so I can put on the sunblock."

When he finished she moved to the loungers. She would sit here for an hour or so and watch the guys when she wasn't reading. When the sun got hotter she would move to the loungers under the overhang of the wheelhouse to avoid overexposure. Settled in she watched the guys get set up before opening her book and getting lost in the adventure within its pages.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 14

Liz fell asleep on the deck of the yacht and when he noticed Jason carried her downstairs. As she came back up and stepped out on the deck the guys had just pulled their rods up from the water. She had taken that to mean that nothing was biting. They spent the rest of the time out socializing before heading back to shore. Although she noticed that they guys did their best to give her and Jason some private time. When they docked back at the marina Johnny lifted the lid of the large built in cooler, that Liz didn't even realize was there, and that was when she saw that they had indeed caught fish. A lot of fish.

"Where are Johnny and Renaldo?" Liz wanted to know. They had just parked outside their bungalow. Max and Lee were in the car behind them on the ride back to the compound, but her other friends were nowhere in sight.

"They took the catch to a local fishmonger to be cleaned and sectioned. We can do it, but a professional will just be faster." Jason explained as they walked inside. The guy was going to get a nice payout for doing them this favor.

"What kind of fish did you catch?" Liz hadn't ever seen a fish that large outside of an aquarium before. She swore the one fish had to be about twenty pounds. Considering they were in deep water that was probably the norm. Still it was impressive. There were fish that were bigger, she knew from watching oceanography programs, but it was still a bit mindboggling to see.

"Wahoo, bonefish, and dolphin fish or dorado as they are commonly called down here. Not the porpoise, but the fish." Jason answered following her into the back. They hadn't gone swimming so they only needed quick showers to wash off the sunblock. Since someone would be knocking on the door in a little bit they would rinse off separately, otherwise they would miss the delivery. "I'll hit the shower first." That way he could answer the door. Even with their friends he didn't want her answering the door in her pajamas.

"Okay." Liz would get out of her suit, put on her robe, and grab some loungewear. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before he went into the bathroom.

* * *

"What type of fish is that?" Liz was sitting out on the patio watching her guy grill. There was something unexpectedly sexy about a guy who could cook. Kind of like he was saying to the world at large that he was a man who could take care of his family in anyway needed. She also got that Jason liked cooking for her. He hadn't let her near the stove at all during this trip. When they got back home they would take turns with meal preparation, but it was nice to be spoiled.

"It's all three." Jason said smiling. He pointed to one part of the grill. "I asked Johnny to get three smaller sections, one of each kind, for you to sample. I'm having wahoo because, of the three types of fish we caught it's my favorite." He was also grilling some vegetables as a side dish. "I figured you would like to try everything."

"I've never had any of them, so thank you." Liz sipped her ice tea. She made a big batch after her shower. "So do we have a freezer full of fish now? If so what will happen to it when we leave? Will Renaldo and Lee take it?" Or maybe the housekeeper could take it home with her. Liz just didn't want it to potentially go to waste.

Jason shook his head no as he flipped the fish. "Renaldo and Lee did each take some fish home. May as well since we had so much." They had bagged fifteen good sized fish between the four of them. Max caught six by himself. "Johnny and Max are having some for dinner tonight like us. The rest was split up. Half was taken to the local food bank to be handed out to any family that wants some." Meat and seafood was not something the food pantry got a lot of. "The other half was taken to the local soup kitchen for tomorrow night's dinner."

Liz felt such pride at knowing not only Jason, but the other guys as well. They were really good men and never asked to be recognized for that. A lot of folks would be surprised to realize just how many charitable acts they did. It started from the top. Sonny had a really rough childhood and he gave back to the community to try to keep that from happening to anyone else. He supported several shelters and the after school program at the Port Charles Boys and Girls Club.

Every year since she'd known him Jason had written a check to make sure every student in the school district who needed breakfast or lunch got it. He also funded, along with Lila, a weekend backpack program that made sure kids ate over the weekends. This year her boyfriend covered the cost to make sure the schools in the more depressed neighbors had computer labs.

Francis supported a local summer camp making it free for anyone who wanted to attend. Johnny had a motor club where they taught mechanics to anyone who showed up. Having a life skill kept kids from turning to crime. A couple of the kids now worked in the garage that Johnny recently purchased. Milo and Cody co-owned a gym where they taught kids to box and about staying healthy. Max had provided new equipment for the youth soccer league for the past five years.

The list could go on and on. She bet the guys down here, in South America, and on Sonny's island were the same way. They supported their community and never looked for praise for those efforts. In fact they would often try to change the subject if you brought it up. Elizabeth could tell by the way Jason spoke that he didn't want to make a big deal about it. So she wouldn't.

"I'm sure that they appreciate the donation." She wasn't going to ignore it either. She wanted him to know that she saw that he wasn't just his public image. "How did you season what we are having tonight?" When they got home she would have to find a supplier and get some wahoo since Jason liked it. Francis or Sonny would know who to contact.

"Lemon pepper." He gave her a grin. "It's what Sonny uses on the fish, plus I like it. It's good on pretty much everything. When your catch is this fresh you don't want anything heavy. You want to be able to taste it."

Yup, sexy. "Does Sonny fish?" Liz was having a hard time picturing that. In fact she had a hard time picturing him doing anything sports related. He did box to stay in shape, often with Milo. She just hadn't ever seen him do it.

"No. Sonny doesn't go out on the boat much." Jason laughed at his girl's face. "He gets really seasick. Every year he comes down and tries out a new supposed remedy, so far nothing has worked. Some of the stuff has been really weird, but he hasn't given up yet." Jason explained with a half-smile.

"Why does he keep the boat then?" Liz wanted to know. "Why not sell it to one of the guys?" Francis would probably buy it.

"A vessel that large is expensive to maintain." Jason had asked his partner why he kept it. "Sonny didn't want to ask anyone else to take that on. He hasn't sold it because so many of us like being out on the water when we come down. So now it's one of the perks of working for us." Jason had offered to purchase it, because the maintenance fees would not faze him, but Sonny said it was fine.

"So Renaldo can just call the marina to have them get the yacht ready, and then take it out?" Liz wanted to know.

"Yeah. He can also approve any of the guys who work for him taking it out. I know Renaldo takes his whole crew out once a year to thank them for doing such a good job. Usually at the end of the summer." Jason took the fish off to let it rest.

"How come he's not an enforcer?" Liz wanted to know. From what she could tell he did the same thing Johnny and Cody did. Just down here.

"Each organization can't have more than three enforcers, no matter how big the territory is. That's one of the rules. Since Shawn is also an enforcer we are maxed out. I had to officially become a boss so that we could promote him." He worked in South America. A territory that large needed an enforcer. "However Renaldo's duties are pretty much the same as Johnny's, Cody's, and Shawn's." Jason took the veggies off, fixed their plates, and brought them over to the outdoor table. He and Sonny were talking about promoting Johnny. If that happened then Renaldo would officially become an enforcer. "His salary is less than theirs, but it's more than Marco's who has the same amount of seniority back in Port Charles." Marco was probably going to get promoted soon as well. To the head of guards in Port Charles to take some work off of Cody.

"That's to keep the chain of command clear?" Liz was guessing. Jason nodded so she asked her next question. "So who is in charge if all the heads of guards are together without an enforcer there? I get that probably won't happen because they are in different locations, but I'm curious." She was guessing the position existed in South America too.

Jason just grinned. It was a good question. "Renaldo has the most seniority which is why he is here. So he would be in charge if Cody wasn't at the meeting you are imagining. Any other questions?"

"No." Liz picked up her fork. "I don't want to know much." Which was true. The less she knew the better. However some things just peaked her curiosity. Now that they were dating she felt in a better position to ask about them. Jason still would have answered these questions when they were just friends though. She didn't have a doubt about that.

"You can ask anything you like. I'll answer what I can." Jason told her. He had no intention of hiding from her. There were things they couldn't talk about, but most of the time she would know what was happening with the business. In fact he liked knowing that he could talk to her about his work. Sometimes he just needed a safe place to vent, and Elizabeth provided that for him.

"I know that I can, and that you will." Liz hadn't ever felt shut out from any part of his life. "So which piece of fish is which?" She asked putting away his job.

"Wahoo, dorado, bonefish." Jason pointed them out. Her quiet acceptance was one of the greatest gifts he'd ever gotten. It conveyed trust, and he wasn't ever going to take that for granted. "What do you think?" He asked after she took a bite of each.

"Delicious." She said smiling. "You did a great job cooking them. When we come back you will have to catch all three for me again." Liz told him as they continued their meal.

"I can do that." Jason responded as he started to eat.

* * *

"Max will be outside on the patio." Jason reminded Elizabeth who was sitting in the kitchen. He was heading over to Johnny's place. After a quick meeting they were going to go over to the gym and work out.

"Okay. I'm just going to set up my work space and cut the fabric panels for my dress." Liz wouldn't need to follow a pattern. She wasn't doing anything fancy, although she wanted the end result to be something nice. Simple elegance was the theme of her design. "I'll probably sew them together tomorrow. If we aren't out late." They were day tripping tomorrow.

Jason had to grin. "Just like that you'll have a dress."

"Yeah." Liz nodded. "If people knew how easy it was to make clothes I'd be out of business. It does take practice to be able to sew something and not have it look homemade but not as much as the average person thinks." She ended on a shrug.

His beautiful and talented girlfriend didn't give herself enough credit. He thought that was her parent's faults. The one dinner he had attended with them, a fundraiser for the hospital, as Elizabeth's plus one he had actually heard her father say it wasn't like she was saving lives. The urge to set the man straight had been hard to resist. Really hard.

"Should I call when I'm ready to come back?" Jason wanted to know. He didn't really want to leave in the first place. Since this was an important step for Elizabeth he was going to do it. When she suggested Max come over and hang out Jason didn't bother to hide his relief.

"How about we set a time limit? Two hours." Liz knew she could call if she needed him before then. When they got back home working on extending her time alone could start. "Thank you. I know you don't like this."

"I understand why it's necessary." Jason urged her close so that he could kiss her. "Two hours."

The door closed and Liz took a deep breath. "Max is outside, and Jason is five minutes away. Woman up Elizabeth." Telling herself that she was fine she went into the far bedroom. Jason had pushed the bed against one wall so that she had plenty of room. Her sewing machine had been set up before they left for the boat. Renaldo had managed to find a store that sold commercial grade sewing machines. She got a great machine, it wasn't her Juki back home but it would be great for down here.

The fabric was wrapped so she opened the bundle. When she worked with private clients for special events her number one piece of advice was to go with what you knew worked. Color, fabric, and style. A high profile evening was not the time to experiment. Looking at the fabric she had selected Liz acknowledged that she was breaking her own rule.

At the same time fashion was meant to be played with. The eyes of the world weren't going to be on her, and whatever she wore Jason would love. So this was a good time to step out of her comfort zone. To try something new.

With that decided she reached for her shears and started cutting.

* * *

"Plans for tomorrow?" Renaldo asked his boss. After this quick meeting he was going to take a walk on the beach for a bit and call his girlfriend. He was looking forward to her coming home.

"Elizabeth would like to visit Ponce." Jason told his guys. Johnny would fill in Max later in the evening.

"That's about one hour and forty-five minutes away. It's a nice drive. There are a couple of places along the way we can stop and get some good pictures if Liz wants." Renaldo told the group.

"Liz want to go to the art museum?" Johnny was guessing. Back home she often went to the Port Charles Art Museum.

"Yeah." Jason leaned back in his chair. He was tapping his fingers against the table. Trying not to think about Elizabeth was proving really difficult.

"There is a lot more to do in the city besides the one museum." Lee told his boss. "So she'll have fun."

Johnny snickered. "Dude, you have managed to not say Liz's first name since day one. Just say it and get it over with." This was pretty funny.

"I'm working on it." Lee mumbled to the guys around the table.

"He'll wave to the plane and say bye Liz." Johnny said laughing at his friend. "I thought Milo was bad when Emily told him to stop calling her Ms. Quartermaine." Jason's sister had resorted to squirting him with a water gun every time he didn't use her first name.

Lee just let his friends get it out. "What time are we leaving in the morning?"

"Eight." Jason told the group.

"I'd also like to point out that Johnny lost the bet." Lee said with a smug look. "Elizabeth has planned all the outings we've done so far."

"Shit." Johnny just scowled. "I'll transfer the papers to Liz when we get home." Because that was who Jason wanted the car for, even without his friend saying so Johnny knew that. Just like he knew Jason would have said something if he had planned the trips.

"When is your dinner date?" Renaldo wanted to know.

"I made a reservation for four nights from now. That should give Elizabeth time to finish her dress." Jason told the guys. "We are going to Pikayo."

"Great restaurant." Renaldo said smiling. Jason would have had to drop his name to get tables on such short notice. "Do you know where we are going to be located? Or should I call to find out?" Once they knew that they could start planning the security for inside the dining establishment.

"I booked the entire restaurant, so we can sit anywhere we want." Jason said grinning. It was a show off move, but he wanted privacy with his girlfriend. The manager named a price with a good number of zeros for canceling their reservations. Jason simply said fine.

"Never thought I'd see the day when you pulled a move from Sonny's book." Johnny was expecting Liz to be gob smacked. "I have to say I approve though." This would make security easy. "Limo?"

"Yeah." Jason was going to go all out. "Flowers too."

"You need a florist?" Renaldo didn't mind doing some of the legwork.

"I called the one at the resort." Jason told his friend. "Come on Johnny, I need to go burn off some energy. Renaldo, Lee enjoy the rest of your night."

"Will do." After his walk Renaldo was returning to the cabin. He wanted his friend's opinion on how Jason was holding up.

* * *

"You want to talk about it?" Johnny waited until they finished with the weights and moved over to the treadmills to start this conversation.

"Talk about what?" Jason looked over at his friend before turning back to the game they put on the television. He wasn't really keeping track of the sporting event. It was more just to have something on in the background.

"The feeling of terror that comes along with realizing you are head over heels in love with someone." Johnny replied clarifying his statement. While he was single now, he had been in a relationship a few years ago. A serious relationship that ended badly when his girlfriend decided that she wanted different things out of life than he did. Johnny had been crushed and after giving himself time to heal he was now dating again.

"Being in love isn't scary. Don't you ever read the greeting cards in the store?" Jason asked with a smirk.

Johnny shook his head but didn't respond right away because his treadmill was on an incline. When he was running downhill again he picked up the conversation. "You know what I mean. Yes love can be hearts, roses, and puppy dogs. It can also be loss and heartbreak." Two very real possibilities for them. "You could have lost her Jason. I'm not saying dwell on that, but you need to talk about it."

Jason didn't say anything right away. His friend was right, just holding all the emotions inside wasn't a good thing. He would talk to Elizabeth about this at some point, although she already knew what he was feeling. It was the same combination of emotions she was feeling, but in different ratios.

Right now he was leading with a combination of anger at the fact that this happened, fear that it might happen again, and helplessness that he couldn't take away the fear that Elizabeth was feeling. What he didn't feel was that she didn't trust him to keep her safe. Because he knew that she did.

"I can't lose her." Jason told his friend. "I know my lifestyle increases the odds that I will. This can be a hard life to deal with. But the danger didn't come from my life, it came from her having an immature and stupid ex. Logan said this was his idea." The asshole had made all kinds of confessions before he died. "Still Zander could have stopped it and he didn't." Jason could feel his anger spiking. "I never saw Zander as a serious threat. Just a pain in the ass."

"None of us saw him as a threat. An annoyance yes, but not a threat." Johnny and Francis had talked about this very thing. All the ladies in their lives had exes. Zander was far from the first to try to win his ex-girlfriend back. Emily's ex had also mounted a campaign to get her to forgive him for cheating on her. It had actually lasted longer than what Zander did, but Emily's former boyfriend had eventually seen the writing on the wall and stopped. At no point did any of the guys think they needed to step in, or that he was going to pop up again. So when Zander seemed to get the message they didn't give him another thought. From this point forward if any of the ladies had an ex who popped up again they would be getting a long hard look.

"Getting my hands on him will go a long way to making me feel better. Elizabeth now has a guard which helps as well." Jason said going down the list. "This is just something we have to work through and when we come out on the other side we'll be stronger." He ran for a bit before speaking again. "But yeah, it's terrifying when you realize that someone has so much power over your life. However I'm not in this alone." Neither one of them had said the words I love you, but he knew it was coming. For him it would probably be the night he gave her his ring.

Johnny just nodded. Jason was handling this well, and they would continue to support their friends. "Since we are down here without Francis, Cody, and Sonny I'd like to point out that I would make an excellent best man. I throw a killer party, which you know." It was time to move to something lighter.

"I'll keep that in mind." Jason answered laughing.

"Now would also be a great time to tell me which ring you decided on. I can keep a secret, which you also know." Johnny said giving his winningest smile. The guys on this detail had a bet going.

"No one gets to know that before Elizabeth." Jason knew about the bet and wasn't surprised. The guys would bet on just about anything. Generally the winner gave the funds to a local charity. "So you have to wait."

"I would tell you." Johnny said with a mock pout. "If I had a girl to give a ring to. Maybe Liz can introduce me to one of the models she hires for her website. They are stunning." Actually only one had caught his attention.

"You spending a lot of time on my girlfriend's website?" Jason couldn't stop the grin that came to his face.

"Did I not just mention the stunning models?" Johnny told his friend. "Plus all three of my sisters and my mother likes Liz's stuff so it's a go to for birthdays." The guys did their best to support their friend's work.

"I'll ask her about the introductions. Mainly because you need all the help you can get." Jason said laughing as they continued their workout.

"Very funny Morgan." Johnny was happy that his friend's mood had lifted. With his mission for the night completed he turned his attention to the game on the big screen.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	15. Chapter 15

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 15

"Babe?" Jason called out as he walked into the bungalow. On the way in he checked in with Max who said everything was quiet.

"In the kitchen." Liz was making herself a hot chocolate. "Hey." He was sweaty from his workout and looked good. She tilted her head up for a kiss. "I'm making a treat to end the night. Want me to make you some coffee?"

"I'm good. How did the sewing go?" He asked getting a glass of water.

"Good. Everything is cut, and I got half of it pinned because I had to make some adjustments once it was on the form. I'm going to disappear for a little bit tomorrow night to finish that part." Liz was letting the fact that she wasn't alone anymore relax her. The evening started off a bit rough but once she started concentrating on the dress she calmed down. "So no peeking."

"No peeking." Jason promised her. "When we get back home you'll need to set up a work space."

"I generally only sketch when I'm at home, so that isn't really necessary." Liz let him know. "I didn't even have a sewing machine at my last place because if I wanted to make something I could just run over to the studio." She said shrugging as she stirred her drink. "Besides I'm hoping that now that we are cohabitating I'll have something more interesting to do at home." She said giving him a smile.

"I'm certainly looking forward to have a reason to not stay at the office." When he first moved from being an enforcer to being a boss he would often work late if he didn't have plans and the weather wasn't good enough to go for a ride. The closer he and Elizabeth became the less frequently he had nights like that. Now he planned on only working late on nights she was busy. "Johnny wants to know if you could introduce him to some of the models on your website. He didn't say which ones though." Jason was assuming his girlfriend hired more than one because he hadn't ever actually been on the website. There was no point because he wouldn't be able to see the pictures. If he wanted to purchase something he dropped by the studio and looked at what was available.

Liz sipped her drink. This felt nice. She could always talk with Jason about anything so that wasn't what she meant. This was them catching up after time apart. True it was only a couple of hours, but she was getting a glimpse as to what most days would be like. "I can introduce him to one. Only one."

"The rest are in relationships?" Jason guessed finishing his drink.

"No, the rest are sixteen which will land Johnny in jail." Liz said grinning. "I hired an adult model to display the swimsuits, because I didn't feel comfortable having a half-naked minor on my site. I told the agency that sends the models that I was looking to hire newbies because they get paid less an hour." She explained why the girls were so young. "I have to save money where I can. In another few years I'll be able to hire supermodels. Also my website gives exposure to fresh faces who might not otherwise get any." It was hard to break into modeling outside of the big hubs like New York and Los Angeles.

"I'm guessing the girls look older than they really are?" Jason asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah, by the time they are all made up and camera ready they look to be my age." Liz could see how the mistake was made. She always made the girls wash their faces before leaving. Mainly so that they didn't get hit on by adults. "I'll tell him which is the adult model tomorrow, and I don't make any promises that she will be interested."

"Johnny's ego will be able to handle it if she isn't." Jason knew that for a fact. "I'm going to go shower. How about we veg on the couch for the rest of the night? Or would you like to use the hot tub?"

"Couch." Liz didn't feel like being outside. With the emotional highs and lows of the day she just wanted to relax with her guy.

"Go get comfortable and I'll be out when I'm clean." Jason gave her a kiss and headed to the bathroom.

When he came back out he saw that his girl had opened the sofa. She had also brought out pillows and blankets. "Are we having a sleepover?" He asked grinning.

"That we are." Liz nodded lifting up the blankets and sliding under them. "Come join me."

"That is the best invitation I've had all day." Jason stretched out and gave a happy sigh when she cuddled up. "So why are we having a sleepover? Not that I mind."

"It's fun to fall asleep to the television sometimes." Liz handed him the remote.

"There is a television in our room." He pointed out.

"I know. This is like pitching a tent in your backyard and camping out." Liz looked up at him and laughed at his expression.

"Why would you do that?" Jason wanted to know. "Why not just go camping?"

"Because taking small children into the woods is not always the best idea." Liz was still laughing. "I used to camp out in the backyard of my Gram's house all the time. I would invite friends over and we would have a blast. I'd offer to show you when we got home but we don't have a backyard."

"If we buy a house now it can be secured while we are away." Jason told her. "Then we'd have that backyard, and we could camp out whenever you wanted. Will there be nakedness involved? I'd probably be more excited about camping if there were boobs."

"Everything is better with boobs?" She asked enjoying the silly conversation.

"Yes." Jason said making her laugh.

"I've never had outdoor sex before. It might be worth giving it a try." Liz said with a wicked grin. In a tent they could still have privacy. Suddenly home ownership was sounding very appealing. "We'll need an air mattress if that's the case. The ground is hard."

Jason was going to store this little fantasy away for later. Even if they didn't buy a house, they could probably pitch a tent in the living room of the penthouse. "How about this?" He asked picking a program. Getting off the topic of sex would be helpful otherwise he wasn't going to sleep at all. They would more than likely make love tomorrow, tonight her nerves were stretched too thin.

"That's good." Liz said snuggling close and enjoying some time with her guy.

* * *

"Morning." Jason had been awake for a while now but hadn't gotten up. He enjoyed watching Elizabeth wake up. He really enjoyed the pleasure that came into her eyes when she realized that he was still there beside her. He saw a later start to his day becoming the norm, once they returned home.

"Morning." She felt really great. Almost too good to get up.

"Still sleepy?" Jason asked pushing a stray curl off her face.

"Not really." Liz replied with a small smile that grew wider with a realization. "I didn't have a nightmare last night." She had fallen asleep cuddled close and slept the entire night through. One night didn't make a pattern of better sleep, but it was a start.

"No, you didn't." Jason confirmed smiling too. He didn't think that meant she was done with them entirely. They could, and probably would, return. He was just happy that she got a full night's rest, she needed it. The timing was good too because today they would be far from the house. Although he would have no problem renting a hotel room for her to nap if it was needed.

She slid over and closed the small distance that separated them. "Thank you for all the support you've been giving me. I know I've said that before, it bears repeating though. Every single thing I have needed from you, you've given to me. That means everything." She finished by giving him a soft kiss.

"You haven't needed much." Jason put his hand on her hip so that she didn't move away. "But I'll gladly give you anything you ask for." He said softly. Every time he'd ever needed her she had been there. Sometimes dropping what she was doing to come right over. When he got shot she didn't leave his side until the doctor made her. She put her life on hold just to be there for him. They always supported one another through good and bad times. It was something he was positive would never change.

Liz leaned forward and gave him another kiss. "The only thing I need right now is you."

Jason rolled them so that she was on her back and he was over her. Looking down into her blue eyes he saw his future. Everything he would ever need to be complete was in his arms. He took her mouth in a gentle kiss. He wanted to make love to her slowly. He wanted to draw out the pleasure until he just drowned in her. Until they drowned in each other.

He kissed her again before letting his lips take a journey down her neck. Since it was in the way he pushed the cotton t-shirt that she was using as pajamas out of the way. His eyes traveled down the length of her body just taking her in. She was naked and completely bared to his gaze. He loved that she didn't feel the need to cover herself. Hiding from him wasn't a need. When his eyes moved back to her face her eyes were a darker shade of blue.

Dipping his head he took an already hardened nipple into his mouth and gently sucked before moving to its twin. Lifting his head he blew a stream of cold air over the wet flesh and watched as it hardened further. Elizabeth arched her back as the pleasure moved through her and he kissed the valley between her breasts before once again moving south. When he reached the juncture of her thighs he urged her legs opened and dipped his head ready to make her loose her mind.

She had the blanket fisted in her hand to keep herself grounded. It was clear from the first kiss that Jason wanted a morning of slow loving. Elizabeth had no objection to that. However he wanted her, was how she would give herself to him. It was wonderful that he didn't need them to always move at the same speed. Sometimes slow was a nice change of pace.

At this moment she felt like the most desirable and sexy woman on the planet. She also felt extremely cherished. The other morning when they were together she had done her best to make him feel amazing, and now it was her turn. It had been clear from the first kiss that Jason was making her his focus.

However him not rushing might very well be the death of her. His mouth was lethal on a level she didn't even know existed. He had used that talented tongue of his to push her into a screaming orgasm and now he was building the tension again. She couldn't even move to help things along because he had her hips caged in his large hands.

Jason could tell his girlfriend was close so he moved from her center. Kissing her tummy he moved up her body, taking her mouth and sharing her flavor with her as he pushed inside her. When her ankles locked at the small of his back he took a moment to look into her eyes again. Letting her see everything he was feeling, while taking her emotions in. Then he started stroking. Long glides of his iron hard shaft into the tight channel of her body. He still wasn't rushing. There wasn't a need. They would get to that place where nothing else existed but them and the joy that flowed between them.

She fell first and he let her release trigger his. Rolling to his side he pulled her close. "That is the best way to start the day."

"I have to agree. We will have to do that often." Liz was boneless. "It also happens to be a great way to end the day. If you're so inclined."

"And a fantastic way to spend afternoon breaks if you get them." Jason kissed her nose.

"Basically what we are saying is that if we ever work from home on the same day we will spend most of the day in bed." She ran her hand down his arm and then back up again.

"Pretty much." Jason wouldn't object to a day spent that way. He was guessing that she wouldn't either.

"We'll have to try that and see. As soon as possible." She said unknowingly confirming his thought. "Now I want to see more of Puerto Rico so I need to go shower. Assuming I can find the energy to get out of bed." Liz said smiling. Life was pretty amazing at the moment.

"I'll make you breakfast for incentive, then get clean while you eat it." Jason rolled to his back and stretched. He could also make a phone call while she was out of the room.

"Okay. Cold." She said when her bare feet hit the floor. "I need to pick up slippers at some point today." She said hurrying from the room.

She hadn't put his shirt back on so Jason just enjoyed the view. When he was alone he pulled on his sweatpants that he ditched last night before going to sleep. It was time to get their day started.

* * *

"Back in yellow." Jason was waiting by the front door for his girl to finish packing her bag. The black rucksack had been a birthday present from Carly a few years back. He remembered Elizabeth being excited at getting it because she needed a new, sturdy everyday bag. He also remembered her eye's widening when she saw the logo decal. Apparently the bag was really expensive. She never would have asked her friend to spend that much.

"Whenever I went out on day trips with Gram, she put me in a bright color so that I was easy to spot if we got separated. She usually wore that color too. So today I used the excuse that we are taking a day trip to put something yellow on." Liz said grinning. The yellow and white striped race back top was fitted and showed off her figure. It went well with her boyfriend jeans and white sneakers for a comfy and cute casual look.

"I didn't know that was the rule for the day." He said linking her fingers. "It's smart though." He was in deep red t-shirt and jeans. Something relaxed for their day away from the city. "Makes it hard to lose your kid."

"That it does. It also helped me to not be afraid of color." Liz got inside the car which was nice and cool because Jason used the remote to start it. They drove over to where the guys were waiting and fell into the caravan in the middle.

"So I have a confession to make." Jason looked over at her and grinned. He was wearing the sunglasses she bought for him last summer. When she handed them over she told him to wear them because his eyes needed protection.

"What's that?" Liz was reading the map in the car to see the route they would take.

"Johnny said I was a control freak and that I couldn't go three days without planning things for us to do. I of course said that I could." Jason started his story.

"I see a bet unfolding." Liz said laughing.

"You know us so well." Jason chuckled as he replied.

"He must not have been thinking clearly. This entire trip is about me, so of course we are doing what I want most days. The next time you bring me down you will start showing me the things you feel I have to see. If I don't pick them during this trip." Liz looked over at her guy. "What did he lose?"

"His black Porsche Boxster." Jason told her. This morning after he got dressed and was waiting for Elizabeth, he ordered the Tesla. They would give it to Johnny for his birthday.

"You have a nice new ride. Maybe you'll take me for a spin once in a while." Liz said laughing. That car wasn't one of Johnny's favorites. She couldn't even remember the last time she saw him driving it.

"You have a nice new ride. I know you already have a car, but I thought you might like this one too." Jason wasn't sure she was going to want to keep her Beetle. Not that she had to get rid of it. The guys had already fixed it up so it was as good as new. It might just bring back bad memories.

"I've never owned a car that flashy before." Liz would give him a kiss when they stopped. "Thank you." She would also say thank you to Johnny. There would probably be a couple of driving lessons coming her way because the Porsche was a lot more powerful than her current car. "The girls will be jealous. I will have to drive them around after I get used to being behind the wheel." Emily was the only one of their crew with a sports car. She and John both drove Lotus Spiders.

"You and Johnny will be drag racing on the back roads in no time." Jason was going to need to have Diane on standby to bail them out.

"I'll need to plan an outfit for that." Liz said leaning forward and turning on the radio to find some tunes for the drive.

* * *

"If asked I would have said that Ponce was named after the famous explorer, but I would have been wrong." Liz said reading from her phone as Jason parked. "It's named after his grandson, who was at one point the interim governor of Puerto Rico. You already knew that didn't you?"

"I did, and I was surprised as well when I read that." Jason said as he parked. He had ended up getting a book on Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. "Does the page you are reading mention that Ponce is the seat of the municipal government?"

"It does, along with the fact that Ponce is the second most populous city on the island." Liz put her phone away as Max walked over and opened her door. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Max replied while nodding. He wished all the guys had a charge that was this considerate.

Ponce had a lot of things to visit and they would see as much as they could today. Liz had her camera so that she could document the day as well as share it with the ladies back home. However the main focus of the day was to visit what had earned Ponce its nickname of Museum City.

There were nine intuitions in the city that let you look into Puerto Rico's history and culture. They wouldn't be able to see them all today, and honestly she didn't even want to try. She wanted to leave things to explore during future visits. So Elizabeth made a list of what she wanted to see today. They were starting with the Museo de Arte de Ponce which had been established in 1959 by philanthropist Luis A. Ferre. It now housed over 4,500 pieces in its permanent collection featuring works from a variety of periods including the Pre-Raphaelite age and the Golden Age. During this trip Elizabeth was most interested in seeing the collections highlighting Latin American and Puerto Rican art.

"Setting your timer again?" Max asked with a grin when he noted her typing on her watch.

"Yeah." Liz nodded and laughing. "Like the fabric store I won't leave if I don't." She could spend all day in museums.

"We can come back on another day." Jason didn't want her to feel rushed.

"I know." Liz assured him. "Honestly we might." She admitted to him, and the guys. "There are things I want to see today. So the timer is for me. I'm also going to be a little selfish and decide where we go first." Normally she would take a poll.

"We don't have any problem following you around the museum." Jason let her know. "What did you want to see first?"

"The display of Puerto Rican art." Liz said as they made their way to the entrance. She was excited to see the collections awaiting them.

* * *

"I need to take this." Jason looked down at his phone. All the guys had the devices on vibrate to not disturb the other visitors.

"Okay." Liz replied with a smile. "We are going to the exhibit hall with the art from Latin America."

"I'll catch up with you there." Jason said getting a kiss before stepping out into the main hall and snagging a bench. "Hello."

"You're supposed to say Hola." Emily couldn't help but mess with him. "You speak fluent Spanish, use the language."

"You know that the Spanish dialect varies around the world right? Don't be an ignorant American." Jason said giving as good as he got.

"Yes, I also know you speak the Caribbean based variant they speak down there. Among others. Brat." She threw in even though she was smiling. "Be nice to me I am doing you a huge favor."

"Diane is helping too." Jason was grinning too.

"She was probably happy to have something to do. Without needing to spring you from the cops on the regular, I'm betting her days are empty." Emily teased her brother. "For this service I am demanding a very nice souvenir. And by nice I mean something that screams tourist." She had a weakness for gaudy tourist trap items. They just made her smile. Since her brother traveled often she had a good sized collection.

"I'm just happy you succeeded in your mission." Jason liked messing with his sister.

"Of course I succeeded. I'm a Quartermaine, we don't fail." Emily said in mock offense. "Everything is all set, you can sign paperwork when you get back. Once you have Liz's approval. That's the only reason you didn't ask me to buy it outright. You are worried you picked the wrong one, even though I'm guessing you got it right."

"Thanks." Jason was excited to share this with Elizabeth. "I appreciate this."

"You're welcome. In addition to my souvenir this favor has earned me six months of you not glaring at my boyfriend across the dinner table." Emily named her price.

"I don't glare at John, anymore." Jason shot Johnny a look when his friend snorted in disagreement. "Much. Fine, I'll stop glaring." Unless he did something to earn it was left unsaid. "I have to go, I'll see you when we get back."

"Give Liz a hug for me." Emily said as they ended the call.

"Are you going to tell me what you bought?" Johnny asked as they went to find the rest of the gang.

"I haven't bought it yet. It's in holding." Jason said being cryptic.

"Intriguing." Johnny replied grinning at his friend.

"I mentioned you wanting to meet some of Elizabeth's models to her. She said all but one of them is sixteen." Jason passed along.

"I want to meet the swimsuit model, so I'm hoping she's the one." Johnny thought the other ladies looked young.

"She is. Elizabeth will test the waters when we get back." Jason let his friend know.

"Awesome." Johnny pointed when he spotted their group. "Come on, I need to get more culture." Liz knew a lot about art and was sharing that knowledge with them.

"Me too." Jason was enjoying the day out with his girlfriend. The good art was just a bonus.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	16. Chapter 16

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 16

From the first museum they went over to the second thing on Elizabeth's wish list. The Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Tibes or the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center. This was considered to be one of the most important archeological sites in the Antillies. It dated to pre-Columbus times and gave historians a peek into the lives of the Igneri and Tainos tribes. The area was discover in 1975 after tropical storm Eloise caused the Portugues River to overflow.

There was a lot to see here, but three areas got the immediate attention of the group. First was the cemetery where the remains of 186 humans had been found so far. A lot could be learned about a culture by how they treated their dead. The unearthed remains themselves provided answers about things such as eating habits, social habits, and how religions were practiced. They also got to glimpse at what was buried alongside the bodies, while learning of the burial rituals practiced in the tribes.

The guys were fascinated with the many ball courts located throughout the site. Sports were an important part of the culture, and while working on this dig archeologists learned that the custom of organized team play dated back further than previously realized. Based on the number of courts and the amount of land excavated to create them, it was assumed that tribes spent a good amount of time participating in recreational activities. The petroglyphs that were on many of the rocks surrounding each court helped show how and what sports might have been played in those areas. The history buff in Jason was very much enjoying those.

There was also evidence that the courts weren't just used for sports. Simulated warsthe tribes. Large gatherings were also thought to be held in the space, such as when one tribe would visit with a neighboring one.

Liz was reading one of the many legends located around the area. "I am really enjoying learning about the history of the area. Seeing how the culture was established." She told her guy when he wandered over.

"Me too." Jason put his arm around her waist as he also read the information on the other use of the courts.

The tribes would gather for areytos. Social occasions where there would be music, singing, and dancing for many hours. During these celebrations the oral history of the clan would be shared and passed down to the next generation to preserve their way of life.

"Want to go have a closer look at the artwork now?" Jason wanted to know. They had been in this one section for almost forty-five minutes now.

"I don't mind if we stay here for a little while longer. There is a lot to see." Liz smiled up at him. They would explore the art before leaving. "There is a talk scheduled for ten minutes from now on the recreational activities the tribes might have engaged in. I think that will be fascinating."

"After that we'll go see the art they've unearthed." Jason knew what she was doing. Elizabeth was bringing the focus back to him. "Deal?"

"Deal?" Liz looked around. "Let's go stake out some seats. The guys can join us when the talk starts."

* * *

Once the talk was finished, they gang headed over to the next section of the archaeological site. Like the other sections of the museum there was plenty to see, but Elizabeth found herself drawn to the array of ceramics. Even in school this was not a medium she had any talent with, but she always enjoyed viewing pottery. When the Port Charles museum did an exhibition on Native American ceramics she had been there on opening day.

What the pieces might have been used for, such as religious ceremonies and burials, was documented for those visiting the site. Almost the entire evolution of the art form in the region could be seen from the artifacts that were excavated. Since they were still working at the site the archeologists were hoping to find even more pieces of art as the dig progressed. She would love to come back during a future trip down and see if more items had been unearthed.

"That was amazing." Liz said as they headed back to the where the cars were parked. "Are you ready to see more of Ponce?"

"I am." Jason assured her. "Now I could use some lunch."

"Good idea." Liz was getting hungry. "Who picked the restaurant?"

"Renaldo." Jason said holding open the door and stealing a kiss as she got in. "You can cross another dish off your list." He teased once he was behind the wheel.

"If one is on the menu, I certainly will." Liz told him as she buckled up and settled into her seat.

* * *

They stopped for something to eat before heading to the Plaza Las Delicias, the main plaza in the city. It is actually composed of two squares the Plaza Munoz Rivera, the smaller of the two, which was on the north and the Plaza Degetau located to the south. Las Delicias offered them a lot to explore and see, including quite a few statues. They stopped in front of the Lions Fountain, built in tribute to the firefighters of Ponce, for some pictures. Not just of the fountain itself but some group shots as well.

Elizabeth wanted to visit the Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, or the Cathedral of Our Lady Guadalupe or simply Ponce Cathedral to those local to the area. She had packed a sweater for this occasion because her top didn't offer enough coverage to be respectful of the sacred space. Just walking up to the church took her breath away as she took in the edifice.

For over three hundred years chapels had stood on this very site starting with a small chapel in 1670. In 1835 that small structure was demolished and a larger church was constructed, that building became the core of the even larger Neoclassical structure that finished construction in 1937. The one they were now visiting. Over the years the cathedral was damaged by fires and earthquakes. That included the destruction of the two original towers in the 1918 earthquake. Yet the building endured and still opened its doors to worshipers every day.

They visited Casa Alcadia, Ponce City Hall, which was the oldest colonial building in the area dating back to the 1840s. They spent some time at the Armstrong-Poventud Residence which stood as another example of the Neoclassical architectural heritage found across the island. The Cruceta El Vigia was also on Elizabeth's list so they went to the top of the one hundred foot observation tower and took in the views. She made sure to snap plenty of pictures.

"Ponce hosts a good number of festivals each year and we've somehow managed to come down when they aren't holding any." Liz said looking at her phone and reading the city's website. "I should have timed my kidnapping better." She said making a joke. If she had been looking up she would have seen none of the guys found it funny. She went back to her list before looking at everyone else.

"I want to go to Caja de Muertos, or Coffin Island in English, but the boat doesn't leave for another ninety minutes. So what would you guys like to do in the meantime?" She looked at the crew. "We can visit the Hacienda Buena Vista, which is a coffee plantation. It's been a while since you've had some and they give out free samples." She said being a smartass. "Or there is the Parque de Bombas, which is the museum dedicated to firefighting here on the island. That's over behind the cathedral. Also in that area is the Castillo Serralles, a museum dedicated to rum and sugar cane."

"Do they give out samples there as well?" Max wanted to know.

"Doesn't say." Liz answered laughing. "I've never even had rum before."

"You should change that before leaving the island." Renaldo could tell Jason the best brands to pick up.

"Which one appeals to you?" Jason wanted to know.

"If I'm going to be drinking rum, then we should go to the Museo Castillo Serralles so that I know what I'm about. I'll be able to impress the girls with my knowledge when I go back home." Liz looked at her guy. "Normally we drink tequila but rum might be a good change of pace."

"Tequila?" Johnny hadn't known that. "Really?" The ladies partied harder than he realized. "Mixed drinks?"

"No." Liz gave him a dirty look. "Just because we are women doesn't mean we have to get drinks that come with umbrellas. We do shots. Lick it, slam it, suck it." She said with a wide grin and then a laugh when Max choked on his water. "We have to get you a girlfriend so she can come out with us. That way when she sees you, she can teach it to you." She looked at the list. "I think I'd like to go to fire fighters museum. We can save the rum for another day." There were several museums dedicated to rum on the island, so when she was ready they could pick one.

"Sounds like a plan." Johnny said with a grin of his own.

"Come on guys." She said putting away her phone. Jason linked his fingers with hers and they set off to see more sites.

* * *

They were on Coffin Island after a forty-five minute boat ride. The uninhabited area was a protected natural reserve. This was due to local turtle traffic and the fact that flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world grew there. Four of the five beaches were open to tourists, but were patrolled by staff and security to make sure they weren't defiled.

They had just finished a tour of the island's lighthouse when Liz's phone rang. "It's Diane. Hello."

"Hello." The attorney was in her office. "How are you feeling?" She hadn't seen Liz before Jason whisked her away.

"Good, Puerto Rico is gorgeous." Liz walked over to a bench and took a seat.

"That it is. I love taking a long weekend and going down." Diane and Francis rarely visited during longer vacations. She preferred Italy for long stretches of time off. "Since you are resting, and enjoying the sites I will keep this call brief. I just wanted to let you know that you are the newest shop owner in Port Charles."

For a moment Liz was struck speechless.

"Liz? Are you still there?" Diane wanted to know. There was a lot of silence on the line.

"Yes. I'm here…I just…don't know what to say." Liz had honestly expected something to go wrong. Like the bank refusing to lower the price, or someone else snagging the location. "Wait I do know what to say, thank you."

"You're welcome. I didn't have to do much. All I did was point out that no one else wanted the space." There had been no other bids at all since it came onto the market. "The building sitting there empty benefits no one." Diane knew she had the power in the negotiations before stepping foot in the room. She was prepared to stay in the office until she got her way, something that became clear when they entered hour three of the meeting. "Closing is in three weeks, you don't have to be here. I can fax everything down for you to sign and you can send it back."

"I want to be there." Liz wanted to sit in the room and sign the paperwork. "How much was the final price?" Diane had said that they weren't going to pay the asking price. When the attorney named the number Liz was stunned again. "That's forty thousand below the list price." Which gave Liz a sizeable cushion for any unforeseen issues that might crop up, since Cody was sending a crew to do all the construction.

"Have I mentioned that I'm very good at what I do?" Diane asked laughing.

"When I get back we are going out to dinner to celebrate." Liz told her friend.

"Deal. Go share your news with Jason, and I will see you when you return home, or at closing. Whichever happens first." Diane couldn't wait to go shopping at Elizabeth's boutique.

"Thank you, again." Liz said hanging up the phone and pretty much running over to Jason. "I got the building!" She said just before the tears started. This was a huge moment for her. Her store was going to a real brick structure, and not just online.

"Congratulations baby." Jason just held her close. "Elizabeth bought a building back home. She's going to be opening a store." He explained to the guys who looked confused, and alarmed, by the tears. "We need to celebrate your good news."

Liz just nodded and took the handkerchief Jason held out.

"When is closing?" He knew she would want to be home for that.

"Three weeks." Liz leaned into him. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate this with him.

"We'll have something that night, so we can celebrate with everyone else." Jason would call his grandmother. They could do it at the mansion. Sonny could handle the food.

"I would like that. Everyone has helped me get to this moment." Liz couldn't have made it on her own. "Thanks guys." Everyone but Lee had bought something from her, and he hadn't met her until this trip so that wasn't surprising. She wasn't going to exclude him from the round of thanks though.

"You're welcome Liz, and congratulations." Johnny spoke for the group. He was proud of how far she had come.

"Okay." Liz said wiping her face again. "I need a bathroom to wash my face, and then we can get back to our day."

"There is one to the right." Renaldo pointed it out.

They walked down the path and when the door to the ladies room closed Johnny looked at Jason. "You are doing something tonight to celebrate this right?" He asked checking. "You can't lump this into the fact that you are going out in two nights, although she will say that is fine." He knew Liz well enough to make that call.

"Of course I'm going to do something. This huge. It needs to be celebrated. There is a problem to get past. It's going to take us almost an hour to get back to Ponce, and then almost two hours to get back to Dorado." Jason was working the time out in his head. "Then factor in getting changed we are looking at a very late dinner. There are nice restaurants here, but we aren't dressed appropriately for a celebration." He said mapping out his options. "Here is just easier, so we need to make that work."

"Yes, it is." Johnny nodded his approval. "Lee can find a restaurant. Renaldo can you find a hotel room for them to get changed in?" O'Brien started handing out assignments.

"I can do that." Renaldo pulled out his phone. He also told Johnny the name of a nice menswear shop. "I have no idea about women's clothing though." Leyla did most of her shopping on her own. He generally bought accessories like scarves, and a few had come from Liz.

"I will handle that." Johnny would do a search of the shops in the area. "I know Liz's sizes."

"How exactly do you know my girlfriend's sizes?" Jason wanted to know, he didn't have that information.

"Because I'm a shallow clothes horse." Johnny said like it was obvious. "I can tell you Diane's clothing and shoe size. Same with Emily, Nadine, and Georgie. I haven't been creeping on them, but when you buy enough custom clothing you pick up that skill. Liz can more than likely do it with any woman she passes on the street. Once she finally branches into men's clothing the same will be true of men. I'm going to tell Max what your sizes are because he's going to be putting together your outfit." Johnny then put action to his words.

"That's scary." Jason said because his friend got them all correct. He wasn't the same size as when they shared the bungalow. Jason had packed on some muscle in the ensuing years, not enough to make him bulky, but enough to change what size clothing he wore.

"Don't be jealous of my superpower." Johnny said laughing. "Everyone has their assignments, let's do this so that Liz doesn't catch on."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Max said putting his phone away. "Only one of us should be doing searches at a time."

"We should also head back to Ponce, so we can pull all this together." Renaldo put his phone away as well. Mainly because he was done. "Jason, why we go back is all you."

The mob boss nodded. He was going to tell her the truth, or at least a version of it.

* * *

"I thought we were going to dinner?" Liz looked over at her boyfriend. They spent another thirty minutes on Isla Caja de Muertos before he asked if they could head back to Ponce so they could get dinner. She of course said sure.

"We are. We have to get changed first." Jason said with a boyish grin. "Today was a big day for you, and I want to celebrate that. The guys helped me by making arrangements while I distracted you." He wasn't going to take all the credit.

"I would have been okay celebrating on our date and then with our friends." Elizabeth said smiling. "But I really love that we are celebrating tonight. I love that you get how big of a deal this is for me." She felt supported.

"I'm proud of you." It was important for Jason to say that. He needed her to know that.

"Are we eating here?" Elizabeth was excited to see what he planned for them.

"No. We are getting changed upstairs. I don't know into what though because Max and Johnny shopped for us." Jason explained laughing some. "Max for me and O'Brien for you."

"Should be fine then. They both have great taste." Liz wasn't at all worried. "Hopefully there will be a sewing kit in the room, just in case. Being short I generally have to adjust hemlines, which I can do in under ten minutes." She knew tricks that would work in a pinch.

"Come on." Jason got out of the vehicle and came around to help his girlfriend down. Renaldo and Lee were already waiting. Max and Johnny had turned off before they reached the hotel because they needed to pick up the clothing. Lee said that the restaurant was nice enough for a celebration but at the same time relaxed enough that the guards wouldn't stick out in their jeans.

"I love the older touches that so many buildings on the island have." Liz said as they walked through the lobby. The hotel had a European feel to it while at the same time it celebrated the tropical location. They were standing by the elevator waiting for the key so they could go upstairs.

In the room Elizabeth took a moment to look around. The fresh flowers caught her attention and she snapped a picture. Jason smiled and watched her step out on to the balcony. When there was a knock on the door he went to the front of the suite. "Thanks." He said taking the two garment bags.

"Reservation is in forty-five minutes." Johnny told his friend. Although Jason's name was well known enough across the island that if he showed up late no one would make a big deal about it. However Jason hated to be late. "The green bag is for Liz."

"We'll be ready." He said closing the door. "We have thirty minutes." Jason told Elizabeth, leaving enough time to get to the restaurant. The green bag had a small gift bag attached to it.

Liz was curious about that too so she looked inside. "Makeup samples." Just enough to do her face once. "That Johnny O'Brien doesn't miss a trick. I may steal him from you after I've built my fashion empire." She joked.

"He would go for free clothing." Jason was only half kidding.

"I'll be back." Liz said taking the bigger of the two bathrooms because the lighting was better. She stripped down and set the water temperature before grabbing the shower cap and shower gel from the hospitality tray. She didn't have time to deal with wet hair. Stepping under the water she started to get clean.

When her shower was done she stepped out and dried off. She grabbed the complementary lotion and wrapped herself up in the fluffy robe. Tipping over the small bag Johnny had gotten for her she looked through the items on the vanity. Her backpack was on the sink as well and she had a few items in there that she needed so she dug those out. While she rarely carried a full bag of makeup out with her she did have some essentials. Grabbing her hairbrush she dealt with some tangles before putting her hair up in a messy knot with some wispy pieces around her face. The style was on trend right now and would hopefully work with the dress.

Looking at the clock, Liz saw that she needed to get moving or else they would be late.

* * *

Looking in the mirror Jason saw that he was in pretty much the same color palette as earlier. Max had gotten him a dress shirt in the same deep red as the t-shirt the mob boss was wearing. The big difference were the pants and shoes which were both black instead of blue. This outfit would be a good addition to his wardrobe down here because date nights with Elizabeth would happen often when they visited.

The door opened and he turned so that he could see what Johnny had picked out for Elizabeth. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Liz loved the dress. Johnny had also gone with the same color scheme that she was wearing earlier in the day. In his defense yellow was never a bad choice when it came to her. The damask dress was a fit and flare design. The jacquard print garment had an open back and she liked the unexpected flash of skin. So did Jason when she turned to show him. It was a perfect fit, including the length stopping right at her knees. Her friend had also picked up a pair of nude strappy heels to finish off the look.

"We should get going." Although he could stand in this very spot for the rest of the night and just look at her. Jason held out his hand so that she would come closer. When she was standing next to him he leaned forward and kissed her.

Liz smiled up at him when the kiss ended. She had so many great things to remember from this day. So far it was the highlight of the trip, but the amazing thing was that the trip wasn't over. During the boat ride back to Ponce she and Jason decided to leave for home three days before her closing. So they had a good amount of time left in Puerto Rico. "We haven't moved." She told him.

"I know." Jason kissed her again. Another soft, lingering press of his lips on hers. The bed was right there, and if he didn't want to celebrate the next step in her business he might try to talk her into room service. "Now, we'll go now. I'll grab your garment bag." He made himself move.

Still standing in the same spot, Elizabeth smiled as he walked away. Alone she fanned herself. His kisses always made her melt. They needed to get away from the bed before she jumped him.

"Ready." He asked coming back into the room, they would grab his bag on the way out. He would also leave a tip for housekeeping.

"Let's go celebrate." She said linking her arm through his and heading out into the night.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	17. Chapter 17

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 17

"Would you mind if I spent the morning working on my dress?" Liz asked over breakfast. She hadn't done any work on it at all yesterday and now she was behind. If she spent the morning in her make shift studio then she could hopefully finish up. Her hand was slowing her down some.

"Sure. Do you need me to take off?" Jason was sitting at the table drinking his coffee and enjoying the view of her pretty face.

"No, just stay out of the room while I'm sewing." Liz gave him a look.

"I'm not curious by nature." Jason put his mug on the table and leaned on his elbows so he was closer to Elizabeth. "I do want to know what this dress looks like. You've been very pretty in everything I've seen so far."

Liz blushed a light pink as she leaned forward too. "I think you will like this dress as well." She let him know. This close up his eyes were even more stunning. "So what will you do while I'm occupied?"

"Can I plan what we do today?" Jason wanted to know.

"Absolutely." Liz knew that he would pick something fun. "Since you've won the bet already you can plan everything we do for the rest of the trip." She said laughing. "The door will be closed so just knock and let me know what time I need to be done by."

"We'll leave when you are finished." Jason told her.

"At some point you're going to have to set boundaries for me. Otherwise I'm just going to run amok." Liz had seen that even before they started dating Jason had a hard time to telling her no, or that she couldn't do something. That made her careful to not take advantage of him.

"You only need boundaries when you are around someone who means you harm." Jason covered his hand with his. "I'm safer with you than I've ever been in my life." He kissed her palm and watched pleasure come into her eyes. "Go work on your dress. I need to make some plans with the guys. Do you want me to call Max to come sit with you?"

"You'll just be down the path?" Liz's stomach was jumping already, but she thought she was ready.

"Just down the path. I can be here in three minutes." Jason knew what she was about to say.

"I'll be fine." Liz wasn't going to be alone. Just in the bungalow alone. There was nothing to be afraid of.

"Okay." Jason kissed her palm again since he was still cradling her hand in his. "If you need me, call." He would leave it at that.

"I know. That helps." Liz would give him that.

"I'll clean up and get going." Jason reached for her plate. He had made French toast for her.

"I'll do it." The cleanup would help her to settle before she started on the dress. Liz grabbed her plate and coming around the table dropped a kiss on his lips. "Have fun with the guys."

Jason nodded before walking to the doorway of the kitchen. He turned and watched her for a few seconds. She was pushing, but he trusted that she knew when she could do so. With a small smile he headed to the front door. Locking up behind him he went down the path and knocked on the door.

"Hey, I was expecting you to call before coming over." Max said as he answered the door and admitted Jason. The guys were in the living room watching sports because they had already finished breakfast.

"Elizabeth said she was okay on her own this morning." Jason said grabbing a seat.

"You believe her?" Johnny asked his friend.

"I believe that she is strong enough to handle anything life throws at her." Jason said with complete conviction.

"What fun and whacky things does Liz have planned for us today?" Renaldo figured if they kept Jason busy he wouldn't stress over his girlfriend. Much. Renaldo still had days where he worried that Leyla wasn't doing well.

"I planned today's outing." Jason told the crew. "We will be in several different locations over the course of the day." He said getting the meeting underway.

* * *

Instead of loading up the dishwasher, she cleaned everything by hand. While Liz was washing the plate she used, the utensils, the pan Jason used, and their mugs she concentrated on taking steady and even breaths. She started with the pan to give herself time to stop shaking. By the time she got to the glass that she had her orange juice in she was steady.

"On to my sewing." Liz said drying her hands. She had to take off her brace to do the dishes and opted not to put it back on. If her hand started to hurt she would take a short break. The pinning would be the hardest part because the machine would do the stitching with minimal guidance. Sewers had come a long way since the days she was sitting in front of her gram's machine.

She brewed some tea and then made the short trip to her studio. On the other side of the window were the most beautiful flowers. Before leaving she would be snapping some pictures. There were definitely going to be some floral patterns in the line she was designing now, but what she really wanted to take from this trip were the colors. A call to Diane might need to happen. Liz would love to be able to bring some of these plants home, but it was probably illegal.

Putting down her mug she turned to look at the pieces of fabric that had been cut. They were beautiful. She was planning to return to the fabric store and getting a bolt of it because she wanted that to be featured in her line as well. The form had half the dress on it already. The skirt because Liz liked to work from the bottom up.

Picking up a piece of scalloped lace she quickly pinned it in place. Next she selected one section from what was eventually going to be the bodice and lined that up as well, using pins to keep it in place. There wasn't a need for a lot of thinking for this part, it was more a matter of muscle memory. Of letting her hands do what they knew needed to happen. It was at moments like this that she felt her grandmother's spirit close. She could still hear her gram gently helping her younger self make corrections to the garments they made.

She did have to take a break, but in just under an hour the entire dress was on the form. Now came what would be the longest part of the process. Certain segments needed to be hand sewn before she could move to her sewer. Grabbing the chair from the desk in the room, Liz adjusted it to the proper height and bent to her task.

* * *

"Is this okay?" Elizabeth came out of the bedroom and showed off her outfit. She had been wearing a sundress earlier. When he came home Jason said that she would probably be more comfortable in shorts for what he planned, so she went to get changed. He had also changed from his jeans and t-shirt. Now he was in athletic shorts and a sleeveless athletic top. And looking mighty fine.

"That should be good." Jason nodded at the denim shorts and light green crochet topped. She had also changed into the slip ons that she wore out on Sonny's yacht which would be perfect for the outing.

"So where are we heading?" She wanted to know.

"The resort." Jason replied holding open the door. "We are going to be there for a few hours. Have lunch and then move to a different location."

"You are being mysterious." Liz smiled at him from the passenger seat. "I like that."

"You'll have fun." He was positive about that.

"I read about the resort on the flight down. You and Sonny offer a lot of activities." Both on and off the property. "Golf, tennis, horseback riding. I saw zip lining excursions. Hiking excursions. Kayaking. Parasailing. Cooking workshops. Art classes. There is yoga, and of course there is the casino." Liz said going down the list and naming the things she remembered. "I was impressed reading it."

"We charge a lot of money so folks should get something for that." Jason usually stopped in the general manager's office to read customer reviews when he was down here. If something wasn't working it got addressed immediately. It was the same way at the resort on Sonny's island. "During one of our many future trips down we can stay on the resort grounds." There were two owner's suites.

"I'm going to take you up on that at some point. I think it would be a fun experience." Liz wouldn't probably do that until she had a few trips under her belt. The bungalow was really nice and relaxing.

"Cody mentioned that Nadine was thinking of having a bachelorette party weekend down here. If she does that you'll most likely stay at the resort then." Jason passed along, but the ladies could use the compound if they wanted.

"She mentioned that, it would be a way to celebrate her getting on a plane for the first time. Nadine doesn't want to be a wreck on her flight to their honeymoon, so she wants a practice run. Cody might have his bachelor party down here as well." Liz responded as Jason got on the private road to the resort. "I was excited about the possibility of coming down. Now I'm excited about the possibility of returning."

"I did offer to send you last year for your birthday." Jason reminded her. "You said it was too big of a gift."

"I'm glad I waited, I'm enjoying this first time down here being with you." Liz smiled at him as they reached the security check point. He drove them to the main shopping area before parking. The guys were on either side of them. She noted that today the crew was dressed similar to Jason. "We're shopping?" She asked surprised.

"Gear is required." Jason said continuing to be cryptic. His items were in the back of the SUV. The guys had their stuff too. Only Elizabeth needed to be outfitted. "Renaldo." He turned to his friend.

"Come on Liz." He said holding open the door to a sporting goods shop.

She was guessing they were going golfing. Jason occasionally played with his grandfather. Sonny also played. It wasn't something Liz was itching to learn, but she wasn't opposed to a day out on the course either. She would need to pick up a hat. Only they walked right past all that equipment. "Wetsuits?" She asked when they stopped.

Renaldo nodded and smiled. "I'm a certified scuba and snorkeling instructor." Leyla wanted to learn and she didn't feel comfortable going out with a strange man. So Renaldo took the classes to get certified that way he knew the correct way to help her learn.

"Scuba and snorkeling." Liz repeated surprised. "You just have all kinds of skills."

"That I do, and I'm prettier than O'Brien." Renaldo poked fun at his friend. "Today we're going to go snorkeling. After getting you outfitted we have one of the indoor instruction areas booked and we are going to spend a couple of hours in the water getting the basics down. Then if everything looks good we'll go out into the open water so you can see some fish." If she wanted to learn scuba he would give her the name of an instructor in Port Charles, because that took a lot longer to learn.

"Okay." Liz turned and smiled at her boyfriend. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Jason smiled back. He wasn't sure she would have suggested this.

"First thing you need is a wetsuit. I recommend that over a swimsuit, it just provides more protection. We won't be doing anything dangerous, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Renaldo took her over to the appropriate rack. "Shorts or long pants is up to you."

Liz pulled an all black suit with long pants out. "This is nice." Honestly there wasn't much variety in terms of styling. Color was a different matter though. The entire rainbow, and then some, was represented.

"Can I talk you into something with color? The brighter the better." Renaldo saw a yellow and black suit. "Like this. It makes it easier to spot you in the water."

"How about this instead?" Liz pulled down a suit with pink on it. She had been wearing a lot of yellow already. She didn't want to overdo it with the bright hue.

"That's good too." Renaldo thought the yellow would be better, but wasn't going to force the issue. "You need to try that on. After you get suited up I need to see you so that I know the suit fits correctly." It needed to be form fitting but not tight. "All your gear is going to be the same color as your suit. That way it's easily distinguished from everyone else's because we all have different color suits."

"Not a problem." Liz took a couple different sizes and went to the fitting rooms.

* * *

"I like your suit." Jason told his girlfriend as they sat on one of the benches on Sonny's yacht. The lessons had gone well and Renaldo said they could come out.

"I didn't want to force more yellow on you." Liz told him. "Not that I'm dressing for you, but variety is nice." The long sleeved wetsuit with shorts certainly fit the requirement of being bright.

"I like you in yellow. I wear the same thing most days, I'm not going to turn into a fashion critic." He let her know.

"Even if you were sick of it, I would have gotten this suit because it was the only one that worked." She said trying not to roll her eyes. She had to get shorts, or postpone the activity, because all the suits with long pants were too long. She also had to shop in the kids section because she was too petite for adult sizes. This suit had been the largest in the junior's area and was a perfect fit. "I really like your suit." He was in black with blue accents. Like earlier he wasn't wearing sleeves and his biceps were on display.

"Max isn't diving?" Liz wanted to know. He was the only one not suited up.

"Max doesn't like being in the water for extended periods of time. On a boat is fine though." Jason told her. "We couldn't all go down anyway. It's just not safe, we need to have someone on the ship in case something goes wrong while the group is in the water."

"Smart." Liz looked around. "Where are we diving?"

"Off the coast of Fajardo. We will be roughly an hour away from Dorado." He stretched out his legs. "It's a prime snorkeling spot, and one of the places where Renaldo prefers to go. It's more popular with the locals than the tourists. We won't be the only ones in the water though, but we will be away from most of the other folks."

"Thank you for this. It's the perfect activity for us to do." Liz leaned into him.

"I know you love the water, and this is a new way for us to experience it together." Jason had a lot of things he wanted to share with her. He wanted to show her the world, including Italy the place she wanted to see most of all. They would get there, hopefully sooner rather than later.

"Okay, we are about twenty minutes out." Renaldo came out of the wheelhouse. He and Max were the only ones in there, the rest of the crew was out on the deck. "Everyone gear up. I'll do a check before we go in. Liz make sure you stay within my line of sight." Jason would be close too, but Renaldo was her dive partner since she was a newbie.

"Okay." She said getting excited. Grabbing her fins she started getting ready to get in the water.

* * *

"You guys can look first." Renaldo handed over the camera to Liz who was sitting with Jason. They had been out of the water for almost thirty minutes and everyone was in the process of getting clean. Liz had been in one cabin, and Jason was had been across the hall. While his friends were doing that Renaldo had been going over the photos he took underwater so that Liz would have some souvenirs from the dive.

"Those fish looked almost unreal they were so colorful." Liz commented as they scrolled through the images.

"The first time I went snorkeling I think I stayed in the same spot the entire time because all I was doing was looking at the different fish." Jason was nodding his understanding. "The amazing thing about snorkeling down here is that each spot you go to has something different for you to see."

"Renaldo mentioned going back to Caja de Muertos or visiting La Paguera. He said that there are reefs at that last spot." Liz would love to see that.

"Either spot is not a problem to get to with the ship." Jason let her know. They wouldn't be going out with an unknown guide. "They would be day trips and we could do one or both before leaving for home."

"I may take you up on that." Liz could easily see herself going snorkeling each time they came down. "I might look into scuba lessons when we get back home. Would you be interested in tagging along?"

"I would. So would Em. She's been talking about that off and on for years." Jason figured they could get a group together and all go.

"We could explore the deeper waters with scuba gear." Liz imagined that there was a lot they didn't see today. "Look." She turned the camera so that she could show him a photo of the two of them together. Her suit would be the focal point that let Jason figure out the image on his own. "I'm going to ask Renaldo to forward this one to me." It was going in a frame on her wall.

"Send it to me as well." Jason didn't have a lot of pictures around, but he wanted some of them together.

"So where to now?" Liz realized that they weren't heading back to shore. Max was driving and he was taking them further away from the Seven Seas Beach which Johnny had pointed out to her when they dropped anchor.

"Wait and see." Jason dropped her a wink. "We won't be there for about an hour, how about a quick nap?

"I am a little tired." Liz hadn't slept poorly last night, but she didn't exactly sleep peacefully either. Getting up she took the camera over to Johnny who had just come up from showering before following Jason down to one of the cabins.

* * *

They ended up on the Isla de Vieques. It, and the Isla de Culebra, were also known as the Puerto Rican or Spanish Virgin Islands. They were located to the east of the main island. Vieques wasn't very large, in fact it only had one main city Isabel Segunda. The area was most famous for being a naval bombing range, and for the protests that took place eventually forcing the navy to leave.

For an island that wasn't very large, only twenty-one miles long and with just over nine thousand people, there was a good amount to do. Including a wildlife preserve where the bomb testing site once was. They also had their pick from several gorgeous beaches. They sat on the Blue Beach and watched as the sunset. Just more beautiful colors to add to the palette that Puerto Rico offered.

Dinner was eaten family style at a local restaurant, and the meal was filled with laughter. Johnny was an amazing storyteller and he kept them in stitches with stories of his childhood in Ireland. When they were done the group was shuttled to another part of the island, the place Jason had brought Elizabeth to experience.

"Mosquito Bay. That sounds a little ominous." She said laughing. "We're getting back in the water." Liz remarked as she took a life vest. "I could have brought my wetsuit."

"On the water, not in it." Jason put on the safety equipment. "In kayaks." He took a belt clip of bug repellant and placed it onto his girlfriend's belt loop before doing the same for himself. "That will keep you from getting chewed up."

"Thanks." Her curiosity was almost getting the best of her. From the building they were standing beside she couldn't even see the water. She could see a grove of trees and figured they were not going in that direction.

"We need to go sign all the waivers and then we can get going." Jason took her inside the medium sized structure where they did indeed sign papers saying that they wouldn't sue if someone drowned. Then they were invited to go back outside and select a kayak.

The guys all had individual kayaks, but she was sharing with Jason. "What types of trees are these?" Liz asked because she had been wrong earlier. The grove was clearly their destination. Lee and Max had already paddled into the cover of trees.

"Red mangroves." Jason was paddling to the right side of the kayak while Elizabeth was on the left. "Are you warm enough?"

"I am." Liz said as they passed under the trees. She felt like they were going back in time for some reason. "Tell me a little about the area." She hadn't even known this island was here.

"This bay was created by the Spanish when they colonized the island about four hundred years ago. Historians think it was an attempt to isolate the bay from the ocean. It didn't work, there is a small channel of water still coming in, but something else did happen." Jason told her as they went further into the bay and the shadows deepened. "Close your eyes for me."

"I can't paddle with my eyes closed." Liz looked over her shoulder.

"You don't need to." Jason had the situation under control.

His smile looked like he was anticipating something. Liz closed her eyes and immediately the sounds of the bay took over. The birds and insects seemed to be singing in harmony. She could smell the water and fell the very slight breeze that was keeping them from becoming overheated.

"I'm going to tell you to open your eyes in a second. When you do, look down into the water." Jason instructed as he took his paddle out of the bay. They would drift for a while. "Now."

Elizabeth lifted her lids, then looked down before gasping in delighted surprise. "Oh my." She said softly. "That is incredible. The water is glowing neon blue." It was so beautiful she just didn't have any words.

"Micro-organisms that live in the water are glowing. Dinoflagellate." He told her their name. "Whenever the water is disturbed it causes them to glow which lights up the bay. Because the trees surround the bay, keeping it in shadows, the glow seems even brighter. The Spanish settlers who created this bay thought the glowing was the work of the devil." He filled in more of the history.

Liz was listening to him as they floated and the light seemed to surround them. "I never even imagined something like this existed." She said looking over at him. "It's just…" She said trailing off and looking at the water once more.

"I know." Jason said before he settled into silence as well. He had been waiting to share this with her since they arrived. Him trying to describe it would not have done it justice so he just let her experience it for herself. It was the correct choice.

"How long can we stay?" Liz wanted to know. This would be another spot they visited on future trips.

"As long as you like." Jason let her know. They could float for the rest of the night.

Smiling Elizabeth settled in and let nature's light show wow her.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	18. Chapter 18

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 18

They spent the next day doing some low key activities. Elizabeth's left hand was sore from over use. Between the sewing, the underwater activities, and the paddling she had used it just a little too much. Since she didn't want to be in pain during their date that evening rest was needed.

Also because of the date they didn't want to go too far from Dorado. That made it a perfect day to spend back in San Juan. They started at the Casa de Libro. A museum containing a collection of rare manuscripts and books, some from as far back as the fifteenth century. There was also an exhibit dedicated to book making and the history of printing. Both Elizabeth and Jason were bibliophiles, so this was a fascinating stop for them.

They visited the Pablo Casals Museum. While the Spanish cello virtuoso had not been born in Puerto Rico, his mother was, this was where he spent the later portion of his life. Making his permanent home in the town of Ceiba. His impact on music and culture in his new home was sweeping. He founded both the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and a year later the Conservatory of Music. In addition to being a cellist he was also a celebrated composer, which was not something Elizabeth knew. His death in 1973 was covered, so was his being honored by King Juan Carlos I with a postage stamp. For her the highlight of the visit was being able to watch a concert from the Festival Casals on videotape. Jason offered to purchase some CDs for her, and she smiled telling him she had an entire collection at her studio that she often listened to while working.

Elizabeth insisted that they also go to the Museo del Mar, or the Museum of the Sea. Nautical history was one of her boyfriend's favorite subjects. After asking if he'd been before and getting a no she simply turned to the guards asking Renaldo to lead the way. Ocean voyaging had changed extensively over the centuries and here they were treated to a visual timeline. From the model ships to the mechanical devices sailors employed to navigate it was all available for viewing. There was also a section devoted to items brought up from the oceans depths. As they were leaving she saw information on El Arsenal and made plans for them to go see that before leaving the island.

* * *

They had a late lunch out on their patio before retreating into the house for some private time and a nap. After waking up they went to the beach to have some fun in the water. She had gotten spoiled during the time that they had been on their vacation. Having the water so close was wonderful. At the Towers she would have around the clock access to the pool, but it wasn't the same. Part of the joy of the ocean was looking out into that vast expanse of blue. It was calming and at the same time inspiring.

"We need to go back to the house so that I can start my girl stuff for tonight." Liz was stretched out on one of the loungers on the sand.

"We aren't leaving for another three hours." Jason pointed out. Honestly he had no idea what women did to prepare for a night out. What he did know was that he had spent more time than he wanted to think about waiting for dates to finish getting ready. Which often meant they were late to wherever they were going. That was the real reason he had dated so many women, because when they pulled that crap they didn't get a second date. That rule went out the window with Elizabeth he thought grinning.

"Part of that prep is me sitting in my workroom giving the dress a critical review and making any last minute changes." Liz told him. She had tried the dress on yesterday morning and it fit perfectly so today she would be checking the seams to make sure the dress wasn't going to fall apart during their night out.

"I'm sure it's perfect." Jason said grabbing his shirt and towel. "You could wear one of my shirts on the date and still turn heads."

"You are sweet." She rewarded him with a kiss as she pulled on her cover up. "The only person I want to impress is you."

"Already done." Jason dropped her a wink as they went to the bungalow.

"I'm going to shower then the bathroom is yours. I will need it back about ninety minutes before we leave." Elizabeth wanted to be conscious of the fact that they were sharing the room. At his look of disbelief she laughed. "I'm not going to be in the bathroom for that entire time. I need to put in my rollers and then I won't go back in until I need to paint my face. You will learn all about my girl stuff after we are living together."

Jason was guessing this was a big night out routine because she hadn't bothered with much in the way makeup since they'd been staying together. He did notice that she was religious about her skin care routine. Especially moisturizers and sunblock. "Okay."

"Most days I'm a tinted moisturizer with SPF, lip stain, and mascara kind of girl." Liz didn't want him to think she was super high maintenance. She loved Carly, but it took that woman forever to get ready to leave the house on a typical day. Liz didn't have time for that. "I'll shower then you can do your boy stuff." She said moving towards the bedroom.

He was going to get clean, shave, and brush his teeth. He'd be in the bathroom twenty minutes' tops. Then all he had to do was get dressed. Guys had it so much easier. While he was waiting for her more than likely he would play some video games. Now he'd grab a glass of water.

* * *

Elizabeth walked out of the bedroom ready for a night with her guy. She hadn't given him any warning that she was coming because she wanted to his gut reaction to her look. Boundaries were well and truly pushed. Not only with the dress but tonight she had gone for a smoky eye, something she never did. However if there was a night for drama this was it. "Hi." He was looking out the large window.

"Hey." He said turning, he had heard her coming and was about to turn and face her when she spoke up. "I…oh wow…you…wow!" Jason was having trouble processing the vision before him. "I need words now, words to tell you about how you look…" His eyes moved up and down her body. "Yeah, words."

Liz just laughed. She'd never seen Jason flustered before, if asked she wouldn't have said it was possible. She did a turn so that he could see the entire dress and once she was facing front she gave him that smile that only showed up when her inner bad girl was in control. "So you don't like it?" Which wasn't even close to being true and she knew it.

"I think you broke me." Jason said laughing. "You're wearing black. Is that lace?" He asked rooted to the spot. "You're wearing a dress made of black lace." Damn.

"Spanish Scroll Lace, which yes happens to be black. It has a nude underlay that keeps it from being see through." She explained how that worked. The sleeveless dress had a V neck line that was lined with scalloped lace which was also on the waist. It was perfect for a summer night out. She paired it with open toed stilettos and had her hair in large loose curls.

"You look so beautiful." He managed to get his brain working. "And I cannot tell you how proud I am to go out with you tonight. Not because every guy we pass will be jealous of me." He said laughing. "But also because you made that dress. Your talent leaves me in awe."

Elizabeth had to blink back tears. She hadn't expected all that. "Thank you." It meant everything that he was proud of her. "You look very handsome yourself."

"Thanks." He was in a charcoal grey suit with a black shirt and matching tie. "I wanted to look nice for tonight." It was big night for them, although she didn't know that yet. He had made his final selection between the rings while she was in the shower, when he got dressed he put it in his pocket.

"You don't have to keep the tie on." She knew that he hated them.

"Yes, I do." Jason would wear one for her. "Wow." He said again. "I'm still processing. Why black?" It was the last color he expected to see her in.

"Because you like it. I wanted this dress to be about you." She had no problem dressing specifically for him from time to time. "I originally wanted a black and white dress. I thought all black would be too much on me." She hadn't even worn it to her gram's funeral. Instead wearing green because that was her grandmother's favorite color. "I don't wear the color because I don't normally like how I look in it. However once I saw this fabric I knew I had to use it. Max and Renaldo didn't know what I picked, so you are the first to see it." The Spanish lace had been on a lower shelf so she didn't need assistance to look at it. The softer black didn't make her look like she was glowing, which was the problem with a deeper shade of the hue. Or at least in her mind that was the issue.

"I wouldn't have minded if they saw it." Jason told himself to move from the spot he was standing in. "We should go."

"Are we running late?" She had done her best to keep track of time.

"No." He didn't even look at the clock. Time was hers to command. They would get to restaurant when they got there.

"Good. I'm ready whenever you are." She was excited about their evening out. She was guessing this sense of anticipation when it came to spending time with him wouldn't ever go away.

He didn't know if he would ever be ready for her, not completely. Elizabeth just knocked his world off its axis. He was ready for tonight though. Ready to see his ring on her finger, so that she knew his heart was hers. "If you get chilly say so." She didn't grab a wrap as they walked out.

"I'm sure you'll keep me warm." Liz told him flirting.

"Your eyes seem bluer." Jason said taking in another detail.

That was due to the color of the makeup, but a girl had to have some secrets so she just smiled at him. She stopped suddenly when they got to the carport. Behind the SUV was a limo. "Okay then." Unexpected, but very cool.

Jason held open the door and then got inside. Lee was driving and Max was up front. Johnny and Renaldo were already at the restaurant awaiting their arrival. Jason thought he was going to be nervous, but that wasn't the case. He just felt like he had finally found where he was meant to be. Greatest feeling in the world.

* * *

Johnny blinked fast when Jason stepped out of the limo. His friend was wearing a tie. The suit wasn't that surprising, Jason had to wear them a few times every year for meetings, and summits. He wouldn't wear a tie unless Maximus was going to be in attendance. However when Liz stepped out of the vehicle Johnny had to do a double take.

This was a new look for Elizabeth. Sophisticated, and sexy. He could say that she was sexy because he didn't have any romantic feelings for her. Johnny's remarks were as someone who had a great love of fashion. The other reason he could say that she looked sexy was because that was what his friend was going for. The design, and fabric, of the dress told you that. This was sexy done right, classy as opposed to trashy. Off the top of his head he could name some women in Port Charles who needed a lesson on how to do that. Together they looked fantastic. A young power couple. At the first summit they were going to turn heads. "Hi guys." Johnny was holding the front door open.

"Hi Johnny." Liz smiled when he gave her a thumbs up. Big nights out didn't happen for her that often. Usually if there was an event in Port Charles, or the surrounding area, she was working leading up to it. Making dresses for other ladies to wear, and she wouldn't change that for anything. So when the night in question rolled around she was in sweats or pajamas relaxing. However when she did have to go out, she would send a picture to Johnny and Diane for an opinion on her outfit. They could both be trusted to give an honest critic.

"Mr. Morgan, Ms. Webber welcome." The manager greeted them. "We have everything ready."

"Thank you." Jason had his hand on Elizabeth's lower back as they walked into the dining room. At her look of surprise he smiled.

"You rented the entire restaurant for us?" She hadn't been expecting that. Some people would see this as him showing off, but she didn't. She saw this as him wanting to give her a night that she would never forget. Objective achieved.

"I didn't want to share you." Jason said with a boyish smile.

"You never have to share me, no matter how many other people are in the room." She let him know. "Thank you." She appreciated everything he did for her, no matter how big or small. He needed to know that.

"We're ready to be seated." Jason told the manager.

"Right this way." He said leading them to their table.

* * *

They opted not order from the menu, but instead took the option of letting the chef create whatever he wanted. He came out and chatted with them briefly to find out their preferences. After that conversation he disappeared back into the kitchen to start cooking.

"That was incredible." Elizabeth said putting down her fork. "I've never had anyone create a menu based just on my personal favorites before." Every single dish had been spectacular. Her courses, five in all, differed from Jason's so there had been a good amount of feeding one another going on. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I did." Jason leaned back from the table as their dishes were cleared. He had very much enjoyed just being able to sit across the table from her and spend a relaxed evening. He put his hand down on the crisp white linen and Elizabeth didn't hesitate to put hers on top. "We just have dessert left."

"Would you like to take it to go?" Elizabeth wouldn't mind if he was ready to call it a night. "We have coffee back at the house."

"I'm enjoying being out." Jason rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "Before our final course comes I have something for you." From the corner of his eyes he saw the guys leave the room to give them privacy. They would make sure the staff wouldn't disturb them either.

"What's that?" Liz didn't bother to say he didn't have to give her anything; that was something he already knew.

"My heart." Jason paused to make sure this came out correctly. "I don't ever want you to doubt that you are the most important person in my life. That nothing else comes before you. Nothing." He kept his eyes on hers so she would see the truth of what he was saying. "I love you Elizabeth." He had been holding those words in for a while, now he didn't have to.

She had to reach for her tissue. Inside she knew that he loved her. That love was in everything he did for her. It came out every time he touched her. Still it felt so incredible to hear him say it. It freed her to be able to say it as well. "I love you Jason. So much." Elizabeth's smile was radiant. "I'm so proud to have your heart."

"Having your love is everything." Jason lifted her hand and kissed her palm. Hearing her say that she loved him and that she was proud to be loved by him made him feel ten feet tall. Reaching into his pants pocket he pulled out the velvet box that held her ring. "I have this for you."

Looking at the size of the box she knew it contained a ring. That was surprising. It didn't occur to her that he would give her a ring before an engagement ring. There was no doubt in her mind that they were going to be together until they took their last breaths. "Open it." She requested softly.

Jason did as she asked noting that Elizabeth was still looking at him while he did so. He didn't feel like the ring was the focus of this moment, but that he was. "What do you think?" He asked urging her to look at his selection.

"That is stunning." Liz looked back at him before once again taking in the sparkling gem nestled in the black velvet. "I've never seen an orange stone in a ring before."

"It's a sapphire. I wanted something unique for you. Something that you wouldn't see on just anyone." Jason had no problem admitting that. His girlfriend was not a look at me person, but in this instant he wanted her to be.

"I'm going to be flashing this ring around. I want everyone to see it." Liz said laughing. It was a statement piece and that statement was that she was taken. Everyone needed to know that.

"May I put it on you?" Jason asked taking it out of the box.

"Please." Elizabeth held out her hand and took a deep breath to stop it from shaking. The second the ring was on her finger her body stilled. They both looked at her hand before bringing their eyes to one another. She wiggled her fingers watching as the stone flashed in the light from the fireplace. Leaning forward she met Jason halfway over the table for a kiss. "This is the best night of my life. Not because of the ring, but because I got to here you say that you love me."

"Mine too." Jason cupped her cheek and kissed her again. "The best part is that this is just the first of so many times I will hear those words from you."

Elizabeth nodded knowing that what he just said was true.

"I think it's time for dessert, after which we can go home and celebrate." Jason suggested to his girlfriend.

"How about we get dessert to go?" She mentioned again. "Then we can eat it after we finish our celebration in private." Liz was done sharing him.

"Even better." Jason got up from the table. "Let me tell everyone the new plan." He got a kiss before going to find the crew.

* * *

They walked into the bungalow hand in hand. Liz had enjoyed showing her ring to their friends. The dessert, as well as the bottle of champagne they brought back with them, went into the refrigerator. Once their goodies were away they went into the bedroom. "Unzip me." Liz requested turning her back to him.

Jason tossed his suit jacket onto one of the chairs before acceding to her wishes. He couldn't help but notice that as he lowered the zipper no bra came into view. Wanting to touch her, he took his index finger and slowly dragged it up the exposed skin feeling her tremble slightly.

"Thanks." Liz said turning to face him as she reached up and pushed the straps over her shoulders so that she could slide the dress down her body. Stepping out she stood in front of him in her heels and bikini briefs.

"Did you make those?" Jason wanted to know. The black lace looked just like the dress.

"I did. I had some fabric left over and I liked the thought of what was under the dress matching it. I built support into the bodice of the dress because bras are more difficult to make, at least for me. I learned that when I did my first swim suit line. " Liz didn't have the time to deal with that. Stretching out on the bed she propped her weight on her elbows. "Undress and join me." He was wearing too many clothes and was too far away.

Another request Jason was happy to comply with. When he was down to skin he put one knee on the bed, leaned forward to grab the waistband of his girl's underwear and with his eyes on hers gave her a request of his own. "Lift up." The one scrap of fabric was in the way and needed to go.

She did and when he came over her Elizabeth opened her legs so he could fit himself into the cradle of her thighs. "I love it when all your skin is touching mine." She let him know as he hands moved over his back. No matter how they made love it was wonderful, but missionary was one of her favorite positions.

"It is pretty fantastic." Jason said as he kissed her shoulder and then the side of her neck. He was already hard for her and this was more than likely not going to be a long session of love making. He really wanted to be inside her, to feel her body welcoming his inside. With each passing moment he was becoming more desperate. Rocking against her with his erect shaft he could feel that she was wet and ready. "Can I have you?"

"Yes." The word ended on a moan. "Hurry." She said lifting her hips into his.

Jason shifted and pushed inside her, then stopped moving. "I love that the only things you are wearing right now are your earrings and my ring."

"Feeling possessive?" Liz wanted to know.

"Yes." Jason had no problem admitting that as he slowly pulled back before gliding forward again.

"Good." Liz arched at how amazing that felt. "Me too." She gasped in delight when he repeated the motion. "You are mine. Now and always." Her fingers were digging into his biceps in an effort to stay grounded.

"That sounds perfect." Jason said as he moved faster. Talking stopped as he continued to stroke, pushing them both higher and higher. She came first and he followed shouting her name with his release. He didn't separate them right away instead he leaned closer so that his lips covered hers. "I love you." He said softly when the kiss broke. It gave him such joy to be able to say that to her.

"I love you too." Liz let her fingers drift through his hair. "I'm not going to let a day go by without telling you."

"I like the sound of that." Jason would do the same thing. Pulling back he left her body before stretching out beside her. Picking up her hand he brought it to his lips and kissed just below where his ring was sitting. Starting tomorrow everyone would know without a doubt that Elizabeth was taken. "Come closer." Right now she was simply too far away.

She cuddled up sighing in pleasure when his arms came around her to hold her tight. Being loved by Jason was the best thing there was. She was looking forward to experiencing that feeling for the rest of her life. That was the last thought she had before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

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	19. Chapter 19

ABC/DISNEY own GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 19

"Before we head out I need to speak with you." Renaldo was on the phone with his boss. "Johnny and Max will be joining us."

"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes." Jason knew if all three of them were coming it was something important. It briefly crossed his mind that something had happened back home, but Sonny or Francis would have called if that was the case. "The guys want to talk with me." He stood up from the table where Elizabeth was finishing breakfast.

"That's fine." She wiped her mouth. "I need to brush my teeth, and just make sure my bag for the day is packed. I'll wait inside until you come back."

"Okay." He leaned over to kiss her. "Sweet."

"It's the jam." She had a bagel this morning.

"No, it's not." Jason smiled and kissed her again. "All you. I'll be back."

Liz nodded as he went to the front door. She didn't move from where she was standing because she was enjoying his butt in the denim. Today he was wearing a light blue t-shirt and she had enjoyed looking at him across the table. When he was out of sight she grinned and put her plate in the dishwasher before going to the bedroom.

* * *

"What's up?" Jason didn't have to wait long for the trio to show up.

Renaldo took the question because he called the meeting. "Rory is going to be with us for the remainder of the trip."

"Is there an issue that is causing you to beef up security?" Jason wasn't expecting another guard.

"I'm not beefing up security." Renaldo cleared up. "Rory is replacing Lee."

Jason looked at his friends. "I had planned for Lee to return with us to back up Max." The blonde mob boss explained why he wanted a fourth guard for the rotation. The three men standing of front of him were more than capable of keeping him and Elizabeth safe.

Renaldo nodded. "When you told me to add someone else I figured that was why." A good part of the job they did was knowing what your boss wanted or needed without them going into detail. Jason and Sonny were good about telling you what they expected, but occasionally they didn't fill in details. Mainly because they knew they didn't have to. "I looked at the guys down here and narrowed the list down to five contenders. Lee was number one when I started the list, and he was still number one when I was done weighing the job requirements. He just beat out Rory."

"Why did Lee beat out Rory?" Jason would get back to what caused Lee to be pulled from this assignment.

"Lee is a little older. I've had a chance to work with him longer. Rory is very good at his job, but a little seasoning is never a bad thing." Renaldo said grinning. The guys constantly trained to stay sharp. That included him and the two friends standing with him. "Lee also was easier to relocate. Rory had a girlfriend who didn't want to move." The organization took that into consideration when transferring guys. They didn't want to break up families or damage serious relationships. "When I spoke to him this morning he said that they were never very serious, and weren't seeing one another any longer."

Jason nodded. "Rory is an outstanding guard. Where is Lee now?"

"The casino, here at the resort." Renaldo explained to his boss. "He needed to be reassigned because he has a fast growing crush on your girlfriend." The guard said with a smirk. "I figured I would keep you from having to kill him while you were on vacation."

"Seriously?" Jason hadn't seen any signs of that being the case. He had been watching Lee off and on to make sure he was a good fit with Elizabeth. However he hadn't been paying super close attention to the guard, because Johnny and Max were.

"Seriously." Johnny said finally speaking up. "He was enjoying the view a little too much. So he had to go." One because if he was distracted he might miss a threat, and two they didn't want Liz to feel uncomfortable.

"He didn't step out of line at all." Max took over. "I know because I was watching." As Liz's primary guard he needed to work well with the person backing him up. He also needed to trust that they would do a good job when on duty. Max had been the one to realize what was going on, and he had requested Lee be transferred. Renaldo and Johnny had been watching the situation ever since.

"He's not in trouble." Renaldo wanted that clear. Max was right, Lee had kept it to looking. That and blushing whenever Liz spoke to him. "I wanted to move him before Liz realized what was going on."

"It happens." Max said with a shrug. "You can't control attraction." He wouldn't have been able to guard Francis's wife a few years ago because he thought Diane was hot. He also wouldn't have ever hit on her because he respected Francis too much. The crush was gone now, but Max understood what Lee was feeling.

"He'll be an asset here on the island." Jason trusted his guys. Lee could go anywhere in the territory to work at the moment, except Port Charles. Renaldo would keep him away from Liz, until the crush was no longer an issue.

"That he will. We will observe Rory and make sure he's a good fit." Renaldo told Jason. "Unless there is someone else you specifically want."

"Rory is fine." Jason knew the guard, and liked him. "He should be a good fit." The blonde mob boss also knew that Max and Johnny had given their approval as well. "Let me see if Liz is ready to go."

"We'll be over with the cars. Rory is here, you can handle the introductions when we get to our destination." Renaldo said before following his friends to the home down the path.

* * *

They were headed back to San Juan. Liz had decided that this was the city she wanted to get to know well before leaving. The next time they came down she would pick another city to explore in depth. In Old San Juan seven blocks of living history waited to be walked through, complete with cobble stone streets. They parked and set off on foot to see what they had previously skipped on the smallest of the islands around Puerto Rico. The first thing they did was visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro or El Morro as it was named by the locals. The sixteenth century fortress was named after King Phillip II and was erected to protect the entrance to the San Juan Bay so that the city of the same name remained safe.

From the citadel Elizabeth was able to take a host of pictures of the breathtaking view. Including photos of El Canuelo which sat on the opposite side of the bay. The smaller structure was designed as a compliment to the larger Castillo. Both were now World Heritage Sites that hosted millions of tourists each year.

"I love getting these glimpses into the history of the region. Walking around both citadels was like stepping back in time." Liz said as they walked out passed Fort San Cristobel, which they had already seen. "We stood in the very spot where some of the first shots of the Spanish-American war were fired. The map of the world changed due to events in this location."

Jason liked have a girlfriend who respected, and had a love of history. There were women in his past who would not have enjoyed visiting some of the locations they had seen on this trip. "We should go to Philadelphia at some point this summer." The city was rich with history. "Also DC." Both places were quick flights from Port Charles.

"You will get no argument from me." Liz smiled over at her guy. "I've been to both locations more than once, so if we don't make it right away that is fine. Unless you haven't been."

"I've been to both, DC more than Philly." Jason had traveled a lot when he first started working for Sonny. Since he was away from home Jason took the opportunity to learn about the areas he was visiting. That was how his love of travel guides began. "Where to next."

"La Fortaleza. It's the Governor's mansion, but was originally built to defend the harbor. In fact it was the first defensive fortification built." Liz repeated what she had read this morning over breakfast.

"It is also the oldest executive mansion still in use in the continuous United States." Jason added on a bit of information that was floating around in his memory.

"Looking at you being all historically accurate." Liz bumped his hip lightly with hers. "I'm looking forward to getting more pictures." She turned around. "You guys okay back there?"

"We're good." Max answered for the guys. He was spending the morning going over procedures with Rory.

"Are you going to do any shopping while we are here?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Yes, I want to get some souvenirs. Also some items to decorate the penthouse." Liz told her friend. "You can shop too. It's been days since you've bought anything, you must be going through withdrawal." She said being cheeky.

"I did get the shakes, but Jason let me shop for your dress. So I'm okay for a while." Johnny said laughing. His love of shopping was well known. "It would just be ashamed if you came all this way and didn't get anything. I know you'll be back but you should get something to commemorate your first trip down. At least some art for all the white walls Jason insisted on having."

"You see white walls, I see a blank canvas. And they are off white." Liz gave Johnny a look. "Not that I plan on doing a massive overhaul. I'm the one who decorated the penthouse." She reminded Johnny. "All those neutrals are calming after a long day at work." Which he knew because his wall were the same color.

"I'll be fine as long as you don't touch the pool table." Jason said laughing. If she was happy then so was he.

"I did a great job the first time around." Liz said giving herself a pat on the back. "I just need to do an inventory of the items at both locations. We both will probably have to get rid of things. Some of the items we own are dupes. I don't think we need three couches in the living room." That was just what happened when you combined your life with someone else's. Even though she hadn't ever lived with someone else she knew that much.

"If nothing else maybe you can find Jason another brand of jeans while looking for souvenirs." Renaldo said picking on his friend. "He owns fifty pairs and they are all exactly the same."

"As a woman I can totally get behind that." Liz said laughing at Jason's scowl. She liked that the guys didn't treat him or Sonny any differently than they treated one another. She really liked that her guy, and her friend, didn't mind the guys dogging on them. "Finding jeans that work for your body is hard. I cried when my favorite brand discontinued my style. It was a dark day in my life, much ice cream was consumed. Especially since I only managed to get my hands on ten pairs before they were all sold out."

"Can't you just make a pair of jeans?" Max wanted to know.

"I could, but there is a science behind making good jeans. I'm not interested in learning it at the moment. Denim skirts are about as far as I'm going to go, and I don't do many of those because honestly I don't like working with denim." Liz explained to them. "If you notice any obvious things missing from my collections, like wedding gowns, there is a reason behind it. Picking what I will and won't create each year is done very strategically." She was creating those lines on her own, so she had to make the most of her time. Big name designers had teams of folks working for them, she didn't. Liz had to figure out what would sell and what wouldn't by herself. As an independent brand she didn't have room for stock that just sat around.

Johnny nodded as he listened to Liz. Her business acumen was impressive. She had a lot of very rich friends, him included. Not once had she ever hit anyone up for a loan, or try to get them to invest in her company. Everything she had accomplished and earned, she had done so through hard work and business savvy. "I have to admit to wondering why you don't have wedding gowns on your site. Now I know."

"They are a pain. I made one, swore I'd never do another." She said laughing. Renaldo was getting them passes to the next site, Max and Rory were scanning the area. With this bit of privacy Liz turned to her friend. "The model that you are interested in is named Karen Wexler. I know she is currently single and when we get back home I'll see if she is interested in meeting you."

"Thanks, I appreciated the assist." Johnny knew that Liz would paint him in the best possible light.

"Not a problem." Liz thought they would be a cute couple. "Skye gave me her name because they know one another. My offer to model was good because I could work around her schedule for school. She decided to go back to college and go into medicine." Karen was coming back for the new line that was going up next month.

"The name is familiar." Johnny could put his finger on why though. He was guessing it wasn't business related, because that he wouldn't forget.

"Karen's ex is Jagger Cates." Liz knew that would clear the fog.

"Okay. I won't hold that against her." Johnny promised. Jagger had been a pain in the ass. He worked for the PCPD and was pissed that his brother Stone was close to Sonny. In fact the mob boss had covered all of Stone's medical bills when he was dying from AIDS. That was how they met Robin. Sonny offered to cover her bills as well, even though she didn't remain close to them after her boyfriend died, but she said no. In fact other than her trying to get Jason's attention at one point they no longer had any contact.

"I know, but he was seeing her when he slept with Brenda." Liz wanted Johnny to know Karen had some trust issues. "She's dated since then, but nothing serious."

"So noted. She won't need to worry about that with me." Johnny assured his friend.

"I have no doubt about that." Liz replied smiling. "Otherwise no introduction would be coming." With that the conversation ended because Renaldo was back.

* * *

After some shopping and a delicious lunch they headed over to Arecibo. The town was less than an hour's drive away, so it was the perfect addition to their day out. The first stop was the Punta Los Morrillos Lighthouse. It was built in 1898, automated in 1964, and was still in use today.

Next up was the Arecibo Observatory. What made this a must see stop for visitors to the island was that it was the largest single radio telescope ever constructed. It is also one of the world's most powerful radar-radio telescopes. With Jason's love of astronomy there was no way they weren't coming to visit. Especially after he admitted to never having been when she was making her list of stops this morning. She snapped pictures as he got to gaze out into the heavens.

The third stop in the picturesque town was the Museum of Art and History Areicbo. They got a lesson on the history of the town and stopped to enjoy an exhibit featuring local artists. Nothing was for sale, but Liz was directed to a local gallery where she could buy pieces. When the guys said they could stand more shopping, they took a detour to check out the offerings.

* * *

"I had so much fun today." Liz said as they entered their vacation home. "I think the ladies will like what I picked up for them." She didn't get anything large. Just something small for everyone so they knew she had thought of them.

"I wonder if they will like what you got, as much as the shopkeeper in that one store liked what you are wearing." Jason said with a smile. "I didn't realize that you had made this top." The bright blue was similar in hue to what she swore their first day out.

Liz just blushed. "I've never had anyone ask me if I want space in their shop based on one piece before." The jersey knit short sleeved tee was something she made a few years back. The crochet trim across the bottom and sleeves was actually an experiment to see how she liked it. The design passed the test and had been incorporated into the spring/summer collection. However not in this color. She was the only one with this vivid shade. "It was a nice ego boost."

"Would you like a boutique down here at the resort?" Jason wanted to know.

"You don't have to offer just because I'm your girlfriend." Liz did give him a kiss though.

Jason wasn't making the offer for that reason. He was making it because it was a sound business decision. The success of Elizabeth's website said that people liked her clothes. Her store was going to increase her exposure, he had no doubt about that. An exclusive boutique down here would be good for business. So he would have Sonny ask when they got back home. Then she would realize he had been serious. "Since we are in for the night what would you like to do?"

"Hot tub, after dinner, but before bed." Liz didn't even have to think hard about that. "I hope the guys have fun."

"I'm sure they will. It was nice what you did." Jason kissed the side of her neck.

"Thank you for letting me." Liz was enjoying this quiet time. She had wanted to know if the guys could have the night off, and when Jason said yes she bought them each a ticket to a local baseball game. She bought an extra ticket so that Lee could go as well. Liz still didn't know why he wasn't with them any longer, but she did want to say thank you to him for helping to keep her safe.

"I'll cook." Jason needed to put some space between them before he backed her up against the nearest wall. Not that she would mind, but it had been a while since lunch and he knew she was hungry.

Liz sat on one of the bar stools and watched her guy. Their discussion about a boutique was still in her head, and it made her want to share something. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure." Jason got out the tools he needed.

"I just want to say that me not telling you before doesn't have anything to do with not trusting you. I haven't told anyone yet, because I was afraid that if I said something too soon then it would jinx it. Which is silly because luck isn't a factor in this. The factor in this is my skill and how my clothes are perceived by others. It's just that saying it out loud to another person makes it real in a way it wasn't before." She had to stop to breathe.

Jason had to clear his throat to keep from laughing. His girl was nervous, which was why she was rambling. "I know you trust me. If you feel that you need to keep this information close for a while longer I'll understand."

"I want to share it with you. It seems right that I share it with you first." Liz said telling the butterflies in her stomach to calm down. "The fashion industry gives out awards every year. Anyone can enter their designs in the various categories. Wait, that's not completely true. You can't enter your collections for Designer of The Year, or Young Designer of The Year. Those you have to be nominated for." She explained to him. "So this year I entered my fall/winter line from last year in the Women's Collection category. Because that's a category I feel confident I have a shot at winning. I felt a little strange doing it because I didn't start Audrey March for awards." She had named her clothing line after her gram. "I created it because it's my passion."

"Did you win?" Jason wanted to know. He had stopped his prep.

"The winners haven't been announced yet. So I don't know that, but something else happened." Liz said smiling. "I entered in January, which was when submissions opened, and in April I got a request to submit my current spring/summer collection sketches. Which I did. The same day that Logan happened I got a message from the awards committee." Liz took a deep breath when thinking about that night.

Jason covered her hand with his to help her relax.

"I made it into the final round for the Women's Collection of the year." Liz prepared to share her big news. "And I was also told that Kate Howard put my name in for Young Designer of the Year." Young meant any designer under the age of thirty. "I never even considered that I would be up for that award, and now I am." She shared with him.

Jason came around the island and gave her big hug. "I'm so proud of you." He couldn't tell her that enough.

"Thanks." Liz had to blink back tears. There it was again, his unconditional support. "I'm probably not going to win. My brand is still small in the grand scheme of things. Still Kate Howard knows who I am. She's huge in the fashion world. She owns Crimson which is the biggest fashion magazine on the planet."

"What do you get when you win?" Jason knew his girl had this in the bag.

Liz just laughed at his optimism. "If I win the Women's Category I get a shiny award and a check for ten grand. The money will go right back into the business, and I'm not going to lie it would be nice to have. I also get my picture in Crimson with one of my creations."

"And the Young Designer of the Year award?" Jason wanted to know.

"The winner of that gets a shiny award, a check for twenty-five grand, a spread in Crimson with an interview, plus the cover." Liz told him. "They also get a show at fashion week. The exposure is worth much more than the money, but the cash is nothing to sneeze at."

When she won he was going to have to take some time off. No way was Elizabeth having her own show and he didn't go to support her. They could spend the entire week in New York if she wanted. "Thank you for sharing your secret with me." He said giving her a soft kiss. "When will you know?"

"Late next month." Liz said leaning into his warmth. "Right around the time that I open my store. Assuming everything goes well." Diane was arranging an inspection. Now that she was in escrow they could go inside the building. The attorney had taken it on herself to call Cody, and asked him to send a crew. Once it was done they would know exactly what needed to be addressed.

"It's going to go great." Jason promised her. He got another kiss before going back to dinner preparations. "So we don't talk about this again?" He was guessing.

"Nope. I'm doing my best not to think about it. Much." Liz let him know.

"I have one request." Jason looked over at her. "Call me first when you get any information."

"I can do that." Liz promised him.

With a nod Jason began putting together the evening meal.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	20. Chapter 20

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 20

Jason was leaning against the headboard of the bed with Elizabeth between his legs. She had woken up screaming and crying not even five minutes ago. She was still shaking from the nightmare. Honestly he was shaking too because she had scared him badly. Hopefully he would go the rest of his life and never hear her make a sound like that again. The scream had been a sound of pure and raw terror. Even though they hadn't talked yet he already knew that tonight's nightmare hadn't been about Logan.

"Do we have anything for nausea?" Elizabeth wanted to know. Her voice was shaking like the rest of her. Her stomach was rolling. She was really hoping that she wasn't going to throw up. However she was definitely very queasy. And sad. Tonight's nightmare had been about that night when as a teenager she had been brutally assaulted.

"I have no idea. Let me go check the first aid kits." Jason replied as he ran his hand up and down her arm. She was covered in goosebumps and her skin was cold. "Will you be okay by yourself while I do that?"

"I'll be okay." Liz assured him as she scooted forward so he could go look. It wasn't a lie, she would be okay. Sleeping again tonight might not happen though. From time to time she did dream about that night. Her therapist told her it wouldn't ever go away completely, and truer words had never been spoken. It wasn't just the nightmares that lingered, from time to time encounters with strange men left her shaken.

It wasn't surprising that the memories surfaced given what she had been through recently. It wasn't even surprising that some time would pass after the kidnapping before they did. These memories were not something her subconscious would let surface easily. Unfortunately it was also going to take her a day or so to shake the feelings they stirred up. Jason had helped her when she felt this way in the past, so she would let him help her now.

"Nothing." Jason came back into the bedroom and reached for his phone. He could perform surgery with the contents of each of the first aid kits in the house, but he didn't have anything to help his girlfriend's stomach.

"Don't wake anyone up." Liz would feel bad about that. "I can try some dry toast."

"I'm not going to sit here and let you suffer." Jason put his phone down and went to the closet to get a light blanket. He wrapped it around her shoulders to keep her warm. He picked the phone up again and called the resort. "I need a runner sent out to the compound with medicine to combat nausea." He ended the call. "About fifteen minutes." He said before dialing another number.

"What's wrong?" Johnny said in lieu of a greeting. He went from sleep to wide awake as his phone rang. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was two a.m. which meant Jason shouldn't be calling.

"Elizabeth is not feeling well. A runner is going to be coming out to the compound in about fifteen minutes." Jason told his friend. The guards at the gate would call before admitting anyone. However when the runner drove past were his friends were staying they would wake up.

"How bad?" Johnny wanted to know throwing back the blankets and sitting up.

"We shouldn't need to go out to the doctor." Jason told Johnny. "If that changes I'll call you back."

"Are the plans for today still on?" Johnny wanted to know.

"No clue. I'll let you know later." Jason would take his cues from his girlfriend. She might want to stay in and rest. If she still wanted to go out then that's what they would do.

"If she needs anything else give a holler." Johnny might nap again before the sun rose, but he was done sleeping for the night.

"Will do. Thanks." Jason said before hanging up. "Stomach still upset?"

"Yeah." Liz leaned her head back and took some deep breaths. She imagined this was what it felt like to be seasick. If so she didn't blame Sonny for not going out on his yacht. "Want to go into the living room and watch some television?" That would put them by the door when the runner knocked.

"Sure." Jason handed her his phone before scooping her up into his arms. Once she was on the couch he went back for blankets and pillows. When he returned he saw that Elizabeth was already scanning the channels for something to watch. "Anything good?"

"Nope. Even in paradise there is nothing good on at this time of the morning." Liz gave him a wan smile. She just wanted something to take her mind off of her dream. Flipping through the guide she picked the science channel. "Also like back home this network is a life saver. There is a program on about black holes."

Jason put pillows behind Elizabeth before covering her with the blanket. Then he went into the kitchen and got them both glasses of water. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Liz said in a quiet voice. "I want the memories permanently scrubbed clean from my brain. Or a time machine to go back and stop it from happening in the first place. Neither one of them is possible though."

He sat on the couch next to her hip. He linked their fingers before speaking again. "Does it help knowing that he's gone?"

Liz nodded taking another deep breath to try and calm her stomach. "Thank you for that. You never said anything, but I know you are the reason that I don't have to worry about him anymore." She hadn't planned on telling Jason, or any of the guys, about what happened to her before they met. It didn't define her as a person, and at that point they were just friends so they didn't need to know. She would have told him before they moved from friends to something more if that had still be the case. But it wasn't. The guys found out when she had to go to Pentonville to testify in a parole hearing.

The fact that they were thinking of letting that monster out was mindboggling. He wasn't supposed to be eligible for parole. The judge said he had to serve the entire fifteen years. Liz had no idea what had changed that her attacker was getting a review by the parole board, but she was going to find out. Mainly so it didn't happen again. She had instantly agreed to the D.A.'s request to speak to the panel. In fact Dara Jensen, who had tried the case, had gone up with Elizabeth for support. So did Emily. What Liz didn't know was the Corinthos/Morgan organization monitored those hearings so that they would know who might be getting out.

The name Tom Baker didn't even register as a threat for them. Until their source at the prison reported that Jason's sister had come up with someone who had testified. It was mentioned that the D.A. was at the hearing too. So a call was placed to their informant downtown who told them which inmate Dara wanted to stay behind bars. What their informant couldn't tell them was who Emily went to support because the file didn't contain a name. Just a number, which indicated a sexual assault. That meant another call to the prison and request that their informant send them a copy of the visitor's log for the hearing in question. Elizabeth's name was right above Emily's.

Jason had been the one to go to her apartment. The guys figured if she would talk to anyone it would be him. They were of course correct. During their brief conversation Elizabeth had confirmed what they suspected. Then she did her best to avoid every one of the guys for the next month out of embarrassment. Even though she knew that what happened wasn't her fault, it would have killed her if the guys thought otherwise. In the past people she thought were her friends had judged her, and it hurt more than she had words to say.

Jason gave her some space in the beginning. It couldn't be an easy thing to talk about, and he didn't want her to feel like they were hovering. Then one day, after it became clear she was hiding, she came out of her studio and he was leaning against his car. They went for a drive to nowhere and talked for almost three hours. It was the first, and last, time they ever went there in a car.

After that day they never talked about it again. He also told the crew to not to ever bring it up. Six months later Baker, who had been denied parole for good behavior, was shanked while working in the prison kitchen. When they cleaned his cell they found a stash of pictures of Elizabeth cut from local newspapers proving he still had his sick obsession. Jason made sure that the deviant knew who had ordered his death, and why, before Baker died. It didn't take away what happened, but it made all the guys feel better.

"You're welcome." Jason wasn't going to lie about him being behind the death. He didn't have to. "I knew you weren't going to ask."

"After we talked I thought about it more times than I could count. I wanted it so bad. I just couldn't make myself say the words." She could admit that. "I think if he had actually gotten out after the parole hearing, it would have been a different story." If he had been set free it would have only been a matter of time before he came after her again, or possibly hurt someone else. Liz couldn't have sat by and let him steal someone else's childhood. "Knowing he was behind bars, and being treated poorly was enough." Prisoners who hurt women and children were at the bottom of the social order. Baker had actually shown up to the hearing with a black eye. "I would be lying though if I said I wasn't aware that he only had four years left to serve." She took a deep breath and looked out the window. "Can we let this go for now?" She needed a little space.

"Yeah." He leaned forward and kissed her as a knock sounded. "That's the runner." Jason got up and opened the door. "Thanks." He said taking the large cloth sack and looking inside.

"No problem." Johnny wasn't going to let a stranger come to the door. Even if it was one of their guys. "I added some ginger ale and crackers to the order. My mother swears by them for an upset stomach." Johnny and Max had stocked part of the bar for their stay so he grabbed the soda from there. The crackers he called for. "I also went over to Sonny's and grabbed some movies." He handed over the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"Thanks." Jason repeated. "She likes those movies."

"Try to get her to stay in." Johnny suggested. He knew about the nightmares that Liz had been suffering through. "The storm that they said might happen looks like a definite now. It'll be a good day to rest."

"You're just full service aren't you?" Jason was grateful for his friends.

"I'm practicing to be a good boyfriend. Lord knows you are not a very good role model." Johnny said chiding his friend some. Jason looked worried. "If you need anything call. Including meals."

"Go back and get some sleep." Jason said while nodding.

Johnny shrugged as if to say he was up now. "Later."

"Yeah." Jason closed the door and went to take care of Elizabeth.

* * *

He didn't send for any meals, he did send for ingredients. The timing on the delivery was perfect because Elizabeth had just fallen asleep. All her favorites were represented including chocolate. With her situated on the couch under the blankets and with a mound of pillows Jason went into the kitchen to set about turning those ingredients into more of her favorite things.

The soup was not an issue. He made chicken noodle because according to Sonny that was what you fed to someone who wasn't feeling well. True Elizabeth wasn't sick, but soup in general would lift her spirit and Jason could handle chicken noodle because it was easy. Especially since he wasn't making stock from scratch. His friends would just have to deal, because they were going to give him grief if they found out.

With the ingredients simmering away Jason turned to the next thing he wanted to make. He had pulled up a recipe from the internet when making the grocery list. Gathering all the ingredients was the next part. Looking across the top of the island there were lots of little bowls with everything carefully measured out. The problem came in when it came to time to mix everything together. He also didn't have the proper pan. "Good going Jason." He muttered to himself. Out came the phone again to call for another runner.

It took another thirty minutes but he finally had the proper equipment. Which meant that he could get started. "Back on track." The mob boss said talking to himself. "Oven on." Jason turned it to the proper temperature. "So far so good."

He started with the oil, pouring it into the bowl of the large mixer. The sugar, and vanilla went in next. Then he turned the mixer up, like the recipe said, to high so he could cream everything together. While that was blending he stirred together the rest of the ingredients in big ceramic bowl. "Now to add this to that." He said pointing to the bowl on the counter to the mixer. Grabbing the bowl he poured the dry mixture into the wet part and created a cloud which made him cough and covered him in flour. Stepping back he wiped his face and looked at the recipe again and noticed an asterisk. Looking at the bottom of the page he had printed out he read the smaller print. "Turn the mixer back to low before adding the dry ingredients." He shook his head. "You probably should have put that in bigger print." The kitchen was a mess. He would clean up later, once the treat was in the oven.

Turning the mixer back on, he carefully added the dry ingredients without a disaster this time. He took a taste. "Not bad." It didn't taste as rich as Elizabeth's brownie batter, but it tasted like chocolate so that had to be a good thing. Hopefully that taste would remain after they baked.

He buttered the pan, poured the batter in, and slid it into oven. Then he looked at the kitchen. It was the just the island area that had gotten destroyed so it shouldn't take too long to clean up. He needed to do a good job though otherwise they'd end up with ants. The dishes went into the dishwasher first and then he grabbed to cleaning sponge to get to work.

* * *

"Something smells wonderful." Liz was standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"I made brownies." Jason pointed to the plate. They didn't look that great but more importantly they tasted good. "Want one."

"Yes please." Liz took the saucer and had a bite. "Well done." You had to smile when eating chocolate.

"These are the first thing I've ever baked." Jason said happy that she liked them. "Probably the last too."

"Baking should appeal to you. It's very precious, there is lots of science involved." Liz took a seat on a barstool. She could also smell soup.

"It's messy." Jason said leaning against the sink.

"Flour cloud?" Liz guessed trying not to laugh. He was dressed differently than when she fell asleep. He nodded and she grinned. "Common novice baker mistake."

"Why don't my brownies taste like yours?" Jason wanted to know.

"Where is your recipe?" Liz wanted to know. There were any number of reasons the brownies tasted differently. However there were some basic ingredients that came into play no matter which recipe that was used to make the chocolate squares. She looked it over. "I add coffee. It deepens the flavor of the cocoa powder."

"I looked at a bunch of recipes and not one of them had coffee as an ingredient." Jason let her know. "Is that some baking secret?"

"No. It just wasn't in the recipe you picked." Liz said laughing. "Your brownies are delicious." She would have lied if necessary, but it wasn't. He had done well. "Chicken noodle soup?" She pointed to the large pot on the stove.

"Enough for lunch and dinner." Jason confirmed for her. "I thought you might like some."

Liz popped the last morsel of brownie into her mouth before jumping down from the stool. She came around to where her guy was standing and gave him a hug. "Thank you for taking such good care of me."

"I only do it because I know I'll be rewarded with kisses." He said with a shameless grin.

"Yes you will." She said going up on her toes and giving him a smooch.

"How come you don't have a stand mixer back home?" Jason wanted to know. He had been over her place countless times and never seen one. Up until now it never occurred to him how odd that was. Elizabeth loved to bake. Not just brownies either.

"I don't have room for one." Liz said shrugging. "Or I didn't. My kitchen is tiny and I don't really have much in the way of storage. A stand mixer is something you put in one spot and leave it there." Her apartment was a small one bedroom. Living on her own she wanted to live somewhere safe so she sacrificed square footage to move to one of the better neighborhoods. From her living room windows she could see the Towers. "Plus if I'm going to be honest I want the one Sonny has."

"You agreed to move in to get access to my counters, didn't you?" Jason teased her. He was also watching her as they talked. She was in a better place than right after her nightmare, but not completely level yet. They had been talking off and on all day. It was helping, but it was also painful.

"Yes." Liz said laughing.

When they got home Jason was going to ask his partner where he got the stand mixer. Knowing Sonny it wasn't your run of the mill model. Jason knew that it was bigger than what got delivered to the cottage this morning, so that meant the machine was probably industrial. Or as close to it as the home cook could get.

"Once we are back home I'll probably drop a good amount of cash on kitchen items. In fact it's more than likely the only room that will get a complete makeover." Liz gave him a look that said she was trying not to laugh at him. Jason only owned a few pans. His dishes were a set of four each of plates, bowls, and silverware. The most prevalent thing in that room of the house were glasses. She was in the same boat, but that had everything to do with her non-existent storage space.

"Will we fight if I give you a credit card?" Jason wanted to know.

"It depends." Liz copied his stance of her arms across her chest.

"On what?" Jason wanted to know.

"The card has to be for personal and home expenses only. I have my own business account." Liz looked over at him. Yes they were moving in together and she knew he was going to make his bank accounts available to her. They wouldn't fight about that. It was pointless. She just wanted a clear separation between her business expenses. Just like his business expenses were something she wouldn't have a say in.

"I can agree to that." Jason nodded his head. "You don't need my help with your brand. Honestly I don't ever see you needing my help."

"But if something were to happen I know that you are there." Liz could give him this, because he really did respect what she had created.

"I'll call and have the accounts set up. I also need to have some parking spaces created for you." Jason wanted her cars waiting when they got back. His penthouse came with six spaces and he only used three. He could have her name put on two of them. "I'm also going to have Diane draw up a new deed. I want your name on the lease to the penthouse. I don't want you to feel like you are living in my home."

"I wouldn't ever feel that way Jason." Elizabeth let him know. She understood that this change was so that she felt like his equal in the relationship. "Thank you."

Even though he was hoping they wouldn't be in the penthouse for that long, for the time they lived there he wanted her secure. "Now is also a good time to paint if you want."

Liz just laughed. "Don't let Johnny get to you. I like the walls the way they are." The paint color was picked by Jason when she did the remodel. Just like he wanted her to feel a sense of ownership with the penthouse, she wanted him to feel like he had a say in how their living space looked. "Anything else we should talk about?" The day in was allowing them to address topics that they probably wouldn't have until they were back home.

"I'd like it if you brought The Wind over from your studio. I would like to have it hanging in our home. Over the fireplace so it can be seen when people first walk in." Jason loved that painting. He had blushed when Elizabeth told him that he had inspired her. It was also the first time he realized that her talent ran beyond fashion. He had no idea she knew how to paint.

"I can do that." Liz would pick up another piece of art for her studio. Not right away though. She expected to be moving her work space to the upper floors of her new building. With three stories she had plenty of space to spread out. She wanted to create a workroom as well as an office from which to run her business. Dedicated space for a desk and computer would be nice. She would also have a place for inventory which would be nice.

"Do you need anything from me?" Jason wanted to know.

"Can you start locking the door behind you?" Liz asked him. "I know the building is secure and most of the time there will be a guard on the door."

"All of the time." Jason interrupted her. "I know that I usually only have one when things are tense. Now that you live there I will have one all the time." There would be no such thing as security that was tight enough. "I will also lock the door." Which was something else he had been lax about. Generally when people came up they could walk right in.

"Thank you." Liz wrapped her arms around her middle and when his arm came around her shoulder she moved closer to him. She was still a little shaky. "Locks make me feel secure." At her former apartment she had a dead bolt as well as a sliding bolt. It was the same way at her studio. She took precautions to not be a victim again, but it had still ended up happening.

He could feel her thoughts drifting into darker areas and he tightened his arm around her. Placing a kiss on the top of her head he silently let her know that he was there. "How about some soup for you and a sandwich for me? Then we can rewind the movie back to where you fell asleep."

"It's the sound of the rain, it's very soothing. The soup is what woke me up, it smells delicious." Liz would let him take care of her.

"Soup is easier to make than brownies." Jason said laughing. "Get under the blankets and I'll bring everything in."

Liz gave him another soft kiss and went back to the couch. After lunch she was hoping they could snuggle up together. Something told her that her boyfriend wouldn't mind at all.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	21. Chapter 21

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 21

It rained for three days straight. For the first two days Elizabeth and Jason stayed in their bungalow enjoying their time alone. They watched movies, talked more about what life in Port Charles would look like when they got back, and they spent time in bed enjoying one another. It was like a mini-vacation during their time away.

On day three she felt a pressing need to get out. To stay inside any longer would be hiding in her eyes. If she wasn't having nightmares, then staying locked away wouldn't be an issue. Because of the bad dreams not going out could become an avoidance tactic. Resorting to unhealthy behaviors wasn't going to happen.

They went to the resort because it was close. She wanted to take a yoga class to start her day. While she had been using the gym at the compound yoga and/or Pilates was her preferred method of exercise. Back home she went to a class several times a week generally with Emily although any of the ladies was welcome to come. Max joined her, and Elizabeth learned he was more flexible then she would have ever guessed. In fact several times the instructor complimented him on his form.

The guys had gone to the gym to work out as well. Once everyone was showered they met up and went to one of the resort's restaurants for breakfast. Over the morning meal she got to know Rory a little better. She still didn't know why Lee was gone, but didn't really think too much on it. Back home assignments were regularly switched up so it was probably the same down here. Jason had mentioned that Rory might be returning to Port Charles as part of her security detail. If he was going to be around then Liz wanted to be comfortable in his presence.

After eating the gang saw a movie. The guys all breathed a collective sigh of relief when Elizabeth suggested the latest Marvel film. While yes she loved a good romance, and sometimes wanted to watch a tearjerker, those movies were best with her girlfriends. Although the little devil on her shoulder made her point to the period drama, complete with subtitles, that was at the cinema. Just to see Johnny's face. His reaction was everything she had hoped for and more. It was going to make her laugh whenever she remembered that moment.

Next they went to El Arsenal. She hadn't researched this site at all. It was a spur of the moment decision since they still had plenty of daylight left. She had been expecting another museum dedicated to the Spanish American war. The building was a former naval station. In fact it was one of the last places in the region to house Spanish troops. Instead she found galleries of paintings and exhibits on the decorative arts common to the region. Before going in she checked with the guys to see if they would rather do something else. They all said it was fine, so they went in.

"What should we do now?" Liz was looking at her phone trying to find something to do.

"It's time you learned about rum." Johnny named what they would do next. "There is no way we can let you go back home without having you at least sample some."

"O'Brien's got a point." Renaldo said agreeing with his friend. "Which goes to prove that he is smarter than people give him credit for."

Johnny just pushed his friend. "Come on let's head over. I've never been either so maybe I'll learn something new." He was happy to see that Liz was laughing. This morning she had been quiet and he got the impression that whatever had been bothering her was still lingering some.

That was how the group once again found themselves in San Juan, this time at the Bacardi factory. "I don't have my camera." Liz said as Jason parked.

"You can't take pictures inside." Renaldo was the only one of the group to have been on the tour. The single time he had a look at the establishment he was with Sonny. The mob boss had been invited in for a private tour and tasting after signing a deal to make the company the exclusive rum supplier to all the Corinthos/Morgan resorts. "In fact even taking your phone out is grounds for immediate removal. They have recipes to protect."

"Everyone turn them off and put them away." Jason told the crew. They would all be together so that was fine. He had been down here when Sonny took his tour but declined to come along. Now he could experience this with Elizabeth. Once everyone was ready they headed inside.

* * *

The tour wasn't just about the rum. It was about the family as well. In fact they spent most of the first portion of the tour listening to their guide tell them about Facundo Barcardi i Masso, a Spanish born businessman who founded the world famous rum company. After following his elder brothers to Cuba he started his own mercantile, and in 1862 he founded Barcardi Boutellier and Company. Which they sold successfully from Facund's brother's store. Shortly after gaining that initial success was when the signature on the label and the internationally recognized symbol of the bat began appearing on the label.

In 1874 after buying out the other stakeholders, the company became Barcardi and Company. They continued to grow internationally in name and recognition under the new label. In 1877 Facundo was forced to turn over running of the company to three of his sons due to failing health. But that didn't affect the success of the still expanding brand.

The next section of the tour dealt with how Barcardi came to be in Puerto Rico. With the rise of communism in Cuba the family began establishing foreign branches of their business to protect their assets. First in the Bahamas, then in Puerto Rico and Mexico. That decision ended up saving the Barcardi brand. Their fears were realizing in 1960 when the Castro regime seized their company and bank accounts, when they made all private property and bank accounts in the country illegal. In response the family fled the land they had made their home after leaving Spain.

As they moved from the museum into the factory they began to talk about the various brands of alcohol that were created under the Bacardi umbrella. As the company grew they began to diversify. They merged with Martini & Rossi to create vermouth and sparkling wines. Dewar's was acquired giving the brand a Scotch, Royal Brackla, and Bombay Sapphire Gin. Cazadores tequila, which Elizabeth had never had, and Grey Goose were also owned by Bacardi. The list went on showing those on the tour the global reach of the brand.

They finished their time in the factory with a tasting. They were given the option to taste four items from the catalog of items produced. Elizabeth made sure that the tequila they learned about on the tour was one of her selections. Not to be undone the guys decided to join her. Lemons and salt shakers were produced and she gave them a lesson on how to treat tequila. The crew was impressed at her ability to slam back a shot.

"How much alcohol can I take back with me?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Five quarts." Their tour guide answered.

None of the guys bothered to point out that anything she wanted could be acquired in much large quantities than that. They weren't going to ask her to break the law. Jason would just make sure she had it. After she made her purchases they went back out into rainy San Juan.

* * *

"The sun is out!" Liz was standing by the window in her pajamas soaking in the warmth. Last night she had slept very well and now she had a lot of energy. Going out had been the right decision. "That's good because today I want to go zip lining."

"Max is going to be thrilled." Jason was stretched out in bed still.

"Something else he doesn't like?" Elizabeth asked coming back over and sitting beside her guy.

"I was serious. Max loves zip lining." Jason had enjoyed their lazy morning in bed so far. He was developing a new appreciation for not getting up so early. Having Elizabeth in his arms made getting up seem like a waste of a day. Especially on vacation, back home they would both need to get up for work.

"I have enjoyed getting to see a different side of the guys on this trip. I knew Johnny well before coming down, now I know Renaldo and Max better too." Liz straddled Jason's thighs over the blankets. They had already made love this morning, not that she would mind doing so again. "Rory seems nice as well. He reminds me of Cody. They are both pretty quiet. Of course I've only known Rory for a couple of days, he might change when he starts feeling more comfortable."

"Your first impression was correct. Rory is fairly quiet." Jason was guessing Elizabeth would draw him out some. He had decided to not tell her about Lee unless she asked. Jason knew his girl well, she would feel guilty and there wasn't a need for that. Lee had not gotten in trouble, and she hadn't done anything to encourage his crush.

"So do we go through the resort to book our zip lining trip or do we go somewhere else?" Liz was ready to get their day going.

"We will go to the same place the resort takes its guests, but we aren't going to go with any of those groups. We'll be on our own. The area is safe enough that we won't have any issue with that. We'll stick to the main trails that everyone uses." Jason explained how it was going to work. All the guys would have their guns as well, so if anything were to occur they could defend themselves. "Go shower and I'll get everything going."

"Okay." Liz gave him a kiss before getting off the bed.

* * *

"Where on the island are we?" Liz asked as the group set off for the trail that Max said they should take.

"Orocovis." Jason explained as he took her hand in his. He was carrying their gear in his backpack. Not because Elizabeth couldn't carry things, but because they only had one backpack in the bungalow. They would get another one at some point because if they came back she would insist on carrying her share. "This is Toro Negro State Forest."

"I read about it." Liz replied looking around. "This is part of the public forest system. There are twenty-one parks across the island. If I remember correctly this forest is home to the highest cloud forest on the island."

"Yeah." Jason nodded as they followed Max. "The three highest peaks overall are in this forest. One of them is where we will zip line from." They would start at the mountain and end not far from Lake Guineo which was the highest lake on the island.

Toro Negro Forest, which was located in the Cordillera Central mountain range, was large enough that its total acreage spanned the municipalities of Ponce, Orocovis, Jayuya, Ciales, and Juana Diaz. Seven non-contiguous tracts of land with four forests made up the dense tree covered natural reserve which was created in 1935.

There were ten official trails and they were on number one, which at some point would intersect with trails three and six. Max had already warned them that trail number three would be slippery, and possibly harder to traverse. However there was an observation tower with views that made the climb worth it. At the end of trail number six there was a lovely pool that on another day they could come back and visit. They weren't stopping at the pool, or the lake because they were returning to the cars after zip lining. From here they were heading over to the Dona Juana Recreational Area, which wasn't directly connected to the forest, and going to the falls.

"I was worried I would be hot." Liz had dressed for the workout. She was in a bright blue crossback tank top that left her arms and shoulders bare. She hadn't been too worried about sun exposure, although she was wearing sunblock, because she had been told the canopy was thick. Her top was paired with dark blue soccer shorts and on her feet were hiking shoes. Today she had donned a cap to offer extra protection to her face. Jason's outfit let her know she was going to be okay.

"It's fairly cool up here but it can get humid around this time of year." Jason let her know. "During the fall if we come out you may want to go with long sleeves and longer pants." He was in a sleeveless bright blue top with grey piping and grey athletic shorts. Like her he was also wearing hiking shoes, and sunglasses.

"Everybody okay?" Max asked from up front. Jason had asked him to head up this outing. The big guard got a course of yeses so they kept moving forward.

* * *

"I've never climbed a mountain before." Liz said as they reached Cerro Dona Juana where the observation tower stood. "I can cross that off my list today." Max hadn't be lying when he said the climb up was not going to be easy. Slippery and steep, it had offered quite a workout.

"You ever leave New York State?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Yeah." Liz nodded and drank some water. "Growing up I left at least once a year until I was in high school. My parents like to travel so on vacation we generally went somewhere. More often than not we were in California because that was where my mom grew up. We also spent a good amount of time in Colorado because that is where the Hardy family is from." Hardy was her grandmother's married name. Liz had stopped traveling for a while but in college trips to New York City started happening. "On the east coast I've been down as far as Virginia and up as far as Boston."

"How did you miss the mountains in Colorado?" Renaldo wanted to know. "I though most kids ski before they walked."

"I've never been skiing." Liz said shrugging. "I like to ice skate, but my family as a whole isn't much into outdoor sports. Except for tennis, which I'm not sure counts because we always played it inside." She said laughing at her own joke. "So today I am conquering my first ever peak!"

"Here's to new things." Max said raising a toast. The guys all joined in.

"How is your hand?" Jason wanted to know. She was wearing her brace today which was a good thing because on the ascent she had slipped and ended up grabbing onto to a branch to keep from going down.

"I'm good." She let him have a look. "I can't move my thumb otherwise I think I would be in a lot of pain." Liz was happy she had opted to leave her ring back at the compound. There was too much of a risk of losing it out here.

"Want some ibuprofen?" Jason had packed it just in case.

"Might not be a bad idea." Liz agreed because yeah her hand did hurt some after her fall. She hadn't been the only one to go down though. "Are you okay?" She asked Rory.

"Nothing hurt but my pride." He said with a small grin. "I wipe out every time I come up here."

"I took a nasty fall here myself." Max told his fellow guard. "That was why I gave everyone the warning." It was also why he had a first aid kit in his bag.

"Ready for the view?" Jason dug out her camera.

"I am." Liz followed him into the tower. "Wow." She said just taking it all in. From where they were standing she could see both the northern and southern shore of the island. "Is that San Juan?" She asked pointing. It was distant and not as clear, but you could see it was a city.

"Yeah." Jason nodded smiling at her enthusiasm. "The Spanish built this tower to protect the southern coast, and now we get to reap the benefits of that." He was standing behind her and when she leaned against him he wrapped her in his arms.

"Amazing." Liz lifted her camera and tried to capture the beauty.

* * *

"All set?" The staff member asked after checking all the safety gear and making sure it was as it should be.

"Yes." Liz was super excited, and yes nervous, to do the zip line. Johnny and Jason had gone down already. Her guy had asked her if she wanted him on the ground when she arrived and she said yes.

"Okay. Step up to the line please." He pointed to where his co-worker was waiting.

"Thank you." Liz did as instructed.

"Welcome." The perky young woman said with a smile. "Few last minute instructions. Please place your right hand on the green section of the strap." She pointed to the thick cords that attached the harness to the cable. "Put your left hand on the handle." She pointed to just below the pulley. "Don't let go from either place until the ride is over. Those two points of connection help you to stay centered. Some twisting is normal, just relax and you'll come back to where you are now. With me so far?"

"Yes." Liz had removed her brace for this, otherwise she couldn't go down.

"Good. You'll step off the deck and let gravity take over." The staff member explained. "It's a nice long ride. So enjoy the scenery as it whizzes by. Try not to flail with your legs because it will throw you off balance, however you won't fall off the line. Your harness keeps you nice and secure. Just stay as relaxed as possible. Still with me?"

"Yes." Liz nodded her head yes.

"On the other side there are staff members waiting to receive you." The worker pointed. "See that speck of yellow, that's the end. As you are coming in keep your feet up. The staff member down there is going to stop you and help you out of the harness. Ready?"

"I am." Liz said as the butterflies in her stomach took flight. She wondered if this would be similar to being on the back of the Harley.

The worker looked over and saw the light was green. "Step off the deck please, and enjoy the ride."

Liz nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped out into the sky.

* * *

"That was amazing!" Liz said as she jumped into Jason's arms. "Everything was whizzing by and all the colors were melding. It was almost as good as being on your bike."

Jason laughed at how excited his girlfriend was. "So you want to do this again?"

"Yeah." Liz wished she had thought far enough ahead to bring her phone so that she could have recorded the ride.

"We can do this back in the states." Jason would have no problem taking her. It could be another group outing, or just them.

"That would be awesome." Liz said giving him a quick kiss before settling in to wait for the rest of the group.

* * *

"The beauty just never stops here." Liz said looking at the site in front of them as she put down her camera. Dona Juana Falls were two hundred feet of raw power and beauty. The water came from a creek of the same name and cascaded down plant covered rocks before being fed into the Rio Toro Negro. She had expected another long hike to get to them, but that hadn't been the case. In fact if she turned around she could still see where they parked the cars.

"Renaldo, do you come out here often?" As a visitor she could appreciate the beauty but she understood how if you lived with something day in and day out it might not be as awe inspiring.

"We come out about once a month or every six weeks." Renaldo told his friend. "Leyla likes to be outside. So we are generally doing something physical on days off. She prefers to be on the beach and in the water."

"I look forward to meeting her." Liz said smiling at her friend.

"The next time I come up, if you don't come down before that, I'll ask her to come with me." Renaldo liked traveling with his girlfriend. They had fun when he took her to South America.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Liz let him know. "How about you Rory? Do you come out here?" She thought things with the new guard were going well.

"First time." Rory admitted shrugging his shoulder. "I'm not really a water fan." It was why he didn't mind moving to New York. The beaches here were wasted on him. "Not scared of it, and yes I can swim. Just don't feel a need to seek it out. I will have no problem taking you to the beach if that is where you want to go."

"So noted." Liz would respect his boundaries. "I want to get into the water." Everything she was wearing could get wet and would dry quickly. Not that she planned on swimming, she just wanted to get in the pool that was at the base of the water fall and relax some. "Who's coming with me?"

"I'm in." Jason said putting down the backpack and stripping off his top. Like his girlfriend his clothing was designed to dry quickly. That included his underwear which was made of lighter fabric than his normal cotton.

"Me too." Johnny never let a chance to splash in the water pass.

"I'm getting in as well." Max was ready for a refreshing dip. For him this and the forest they just came from were places he always visited when he came down.

"Rory and I will hang out and watch the gear." Renaldo told everyone else urging them to get in.

"Did I answer the question wrong?" Rory wanted to know. He figured that was why his boss was hanging back.

"No." Renaldo shook his head. "If Liz asks you a question she expects an honest answer." The young guard was doing great with the new assignment. "I was just here before Leyla left. Also with so many people about you having back up isn't a bad idea." The area wasn't crowded, but there were a fair number of people enjoying the falls.

"Renaldo?" Liz had waded to the bank. "Would you mind taking a picture of us in the water?"

"Not at all." He dug out the camera. "Stand together." He told his friends and got a group shot with the waterfall in the background.

"Just us now." Liz pointed to her and Jason. She didn't make a point of excluding everyone else when taking photos, but she wanted one of just her and her guy.

They were looking at each other and just before Renaldo snapped the picture Jason kissed Elizabeth. Pulling back he watched her blush and smile. "Perfect memento of our trip."

"I couldn't agree more." Liz agreed thinking that this had been an amazing adventure. Just one of many that they would share.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	22. Chapter 22

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 22

"I think this might be the first time that I've ever gone away and returned with less clothing than when I left." Liz remarked as they walked through the terminal at Port Charles International. She had ended up leaving most of the clothes she took down in the bungalow. Which meant she needed to restock her closet up here. A shopping trip with her friends would be fun.

"I like knowing you have things down there. That way I can whisk you away for spontaneous weekends if we both have time off." Jason had made the request last night when Elizabeth pulled out her suitcase to get ready for the trip home.

"Aren't you just the most romantic guy ever?" Liz said resisting the urge to kiss him. That would stop their forward momentum and she knew that the guys were not fans of the airport. It was just too busy and too crowded. Emily had shared the protocol for the terminal the night before Liz and Jason left. It was pretty simple. Just keep walking. No matter what else was going on, just keep heading for the door.

"I'm trying." Jason said with a chuckle. He was going to do his best to not take that she was by his side for granted. It would be easy to fall back into a work first mindset. Now that Elizabeth was wearing his ring, he really needed to make sure he didn't rest on his heels. Edward had once said getting the woman of your dreams was the easy part, keeping her was where the work came in. Jason now understood what that meant.

"I'm incredibly low maintenance." Liz let him know. "So you lucked out there." She dropped him a wink as they reached the cars. Marco was holding the door and she got in the front on the passenger side. "Thanks." She said as he shut the door. "I'm glad we came back in the morning. I can spend the rest of the day putting my things away and dealing with the furniture. I want to go ahead and get that done." A crew would come over to move anything heavy. "Also with you home you can tell me if you don't like where I place something."

"Before we go to the Towers I want to show you something." Jason said starting the car. Max was going to follow them. Marco had gotten in the car with his friend so he was going to be coming along as well. Johnny was heading to the warehouse to find Francis and Cody to get an update on Zander and anything else he should know. Jason wasn't expected back to work until tomorrow. He was taking Friday off though to celebrate Elizabeth buying her new shop.

"Here in the car?" She asked arching a brow. "How very kinky."

"Very funny Webber." Jason replied laughing.

"I thought so." Liz said with a wide smile.

"You enjoyed yourself when I showed it to you this morning in bed." Jason reminded her as he pulled from the space. They had gotten up earlier than necessary for the flight and put that time to good use.

"Immensely." She said keeping the joke going. "Three times." Her words were accompanied by her holding up the appropriate number of fingers.

"You are so bad." Jason loved that she had such a wicked sense of humor.

"And all yours." Liz said with a grin.

"Keep that in mind for later." Jason replied with a smirk. One of the great things about going to Puerto Rico was no jet lag. Which meant that his girlfriend should have plenty of energy to play later tonight if she wanted. "Now you need to take your mind out of the gutter." He didn't want to be walking around with a hard on.

"Are we leaving Port Charles?" Liz wanted to know when they got on the highway.

"We are." Jason confirmed as he merged. "It's a short trip. Just long enough to give you a history lesson." He was grinning.

"I love story time." Liz was curious where they were going and hoping to get clues. This road could take them to Crimson Pointe, or it could take them to the larger highway that lead to Buffalo and Rochester. Both cities were less than a two hour drive. For them that would be a short trip.

"Corinthos Morgan is a partnership which you know." Jason gave her a quick look and saw her nod. "What you might not know is while we share a good number of businesses Sonny and I own the two territories that make up our home base separately. He owns Port Charles, and I own Crimson Pointe."

"Is that why the coffee business is in Crimson Pointe now?" Liz remembered them moving from one end of the docks to the other. It had made the front page of the paper after Jason received the zoning permits for the new warehouses.

"Exactly. I own that independently, just as Sonny owns Deception independently." Jason was explaining. "Both companies provide a reason to dock boats." Those boat brought in merchandise for their illegal business. "Maximus can't look like he is playing favorites by putting all the docks in one person's hands. So he split them between us."

"But you're partners so it doesn't really make a difference." Liz pointed out the flaw in that planning.

"Yes we are." Jason nodded again. "But Crimson Pointe was given to me right after Sonny returned from mourning Lily. I turned everything in Port Charles back over to him, and for doing a good job in Sonny's absence Maximus rewarded me with my own territory."

"So you and Sonny weren't partners at the time. Which meant that he wasn't deliberately making you more powerful than anyone else up here." Liz started smiling. "But he had to know that you would become partners again. You're best friends and your territories are right next to one another. Port Charles is your home town and you already owned businesses there at the time."

"He did know. I had to get permission to give Port Charles back. Sonny mentioned then forming a partnership with me. Maximus told him to wait." Jason further explained. "There had been several wars fought between the organizations in Port Charles and Crimson Pointe before Sonny and I arrived. When Sonny first took over, before I worked for him, he almost got into a war with someone who wanted the water."

"By giving you Crimson Pointe, Maximus was pretty much ensuring the region remained stable." Liz put the final piece in the puzzle. "It would take something major to make you and Sonny get to a point where you started shooting at one another." She just couldn't see that happening. They were as tight as brothers.

The only dust ups she remembered were before Sonny was diagnosed as bi-polar. His behavior had been erratic and he had been extremely paranoid. The Cuban mob boss came close to killing Johnny, something Sonny was still deeply embarrassed about. The other time was when Lily was killed and they came close to going to war with her father. Sonny had accepted responsibility for his actions, but things had still been tense. Her friend was doing better on all fronts now. He took his meds regularly, and he had been faithful to his last girlfriend.

"Exactly." Jason liked having a smart girlfriend.

"So we are going to Crimson Pointe?" Elizabeth guessed looking over at him.

"We are." Jason confirmed taking the proper exit. You didn't need to take the highway to get from one territory to the other. If you stayed on Main Street you would leave one and enter the second. In fact the water front office building that the guys had their offices in was right over the shared border, making it so anyone could get to any point in both territories quickly. The only reason he took this route was because he wanted time to share the backstory. "On the way back we'll drive through downtown so you can get a feel for the route."

"Okay." Liz was back to being confused. That statement didn't make a whole lot of sense. She didn't really spend much time in Crimson Pointe.

He chuckled because he could feel her puzzlement. "It will make sense shortly." He looked at the dashboard clock. They were almost at their destination. Another perk of the highway was it let them off closer to their destination. It would be a twenty minute drive in traffic, maybe twenty-five if traffic was slow, which should be fine. They turned off onto a private road and drove down a tree lined street to a large iron fence.

She looked over at him wide eyed before facing front again. Fences like that generally enclosed a property. Elizabeth knew that because Sonny had one. So did Francis. For some reason her nerves picked up and when his hand covered hers she looked over again. "Are we." She paused. "Are we looking at a house?"

"We are." Jason confirmed with a half-smile. "I haven't bought it yet, so be honest with your opinions."

"If I like it are you going to buy it?" Elizabeth asked even though she knew the answer.

"If you like, and you want to live here I will buy it." Jason made one change to her statement. "If it's too much too soon that's fine. We can stay in the Towers." His living there wasn't an issue. Just like them moving to Crimson Pointe would be fine as well. He had already talked to Sonny about the fact that when he bought a house it would be over here. It was just smart to not have them living close together. Especially since Francis lived just down the road from the Corinthos estate. That would just be too much of their power structure in one location.

"Have you seen the house?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Not in person. I was browsing the listings in Crimson Pointe while we were in Puerto Rico one night while you were showering. Since I can't see the pictures I was reading the specs. This one stood out. I asked Emily to come out and have a look at it." He had a very specific question he wanted answer. His sister could do that for him. "A day later Diane arranged for Em to do a walk through. She made a video and I had a look. After that I asked Cody to send someone out to do an inspection. No point in coming to look if the foundation wasn't stable." Everything else was easily changed if necessary.

"We are keeping him busy." Liz said laughing.

"One difference. I'm going to pay him for the work his crew does at the house. If there is a job out here." Jason had insisted, and he would be paying the full price. Cody said fine. He had no problem charging his friends, he just wasn't going to make Liz or any of their ladies pay. AJ paid when Cody's guys worked on the hotel because like his brother he insisted. "Like your boutique the house has been empty for a while, so I'm guessing some repairs will need to take place. Security upgrades need to be installed as well. Plus you might want to make cosmetic changes."

"We won't know until we go look." Liz said with a smile. "Show me what you picked for us."

"Yes ma'am." Jason said with a wide smile.

* * *

The first thing she saw when they approached the bend that lead to the oval driveway where guests would park were a couple of black SUVs. That made sense. They were fairly isolated out here and Jason wouldn't take her somewhere that wasn't secure. Max and Marco would keep them safe but as Francis always said backup was never a bad thing.

Jason parked the car and Elizabeth allowed herself to look over at the house. "Holy smokes." The tone of her words was slightly awe struck. This wasn't just a house, it was the house. By that she meant it was her personal favorite style of house, done in a way to make the little girl inside her clap in delight.

"Want to get a closer look?" Jason wasn't worried by all the silence coming from his girlfriend. He had stunned her, in the best possible way.

"Yes." Liz didn't even wait for him to come around and open her door. She got out on her own and stood there looking at what was essentially her favorite dollhouse as a little girl made a reality. The one that her gram had given her when she was eight. It wasn't a perfect replica, but it was close enough to leave her tongue tied. "It's a Victorian."

"It is." Jason was standing next to her. He nodded to the crew that was waiting. "I remember you mentioning that the dollhouse your grandmother gave you was custom built. After reading the information on the house it made me think of how you described the dollhouse. So I asked Em to come out and see how similar it was since she has seen pictures. She said it was almost as exact copy. I can't say for certain, but this might be what the toy was based on." It made sense since Audrey had lived in the area a good portion of her life. The house they were standing in front of would have been built long before Elizabeth was born.

Liz nodded indicating that she had heard every word he said. She just couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the house. Finally she looked over at him and spoke. "I think you may be correct. Gram said that the dollhouse was inspired by a real house, but if she said where that house was I don't remember. At eight the details behind the gift wouldn't have been of much interest to me. My parents might know. Or Lila." Liz found herself curious.

The closing of a car door had Elizabeth looking to her right. "Hi!"

"Hello." Diane had been in the back of one of the cars finishing up some business. "I was on the phone when you arrived." The attorney looked her friends over, particularly Liz. Johnny had sent out a text telling everyone to pay close attention to the designer but he wouldn't say why. He did end the note with a smiley emoji so it was good a thing. Diane got a one armed hug from the younger woman. "How is your hand?"

Right now Liz was standing with her left hand in the pocket of her jeans. "Good. I had an exam before we left and I got a clean bill of health." She was smiling as she made the report. Her eyes moved back to the house.

"I have the keys if you are ready to do a walkthrough." Diane could feel the excitement coming from both of them. This wasn't the style of home that she thought Jason would pick, not for himself anyway. It was clear after a conversation with Emily that the house was about Liz.

"Yes please." Liz's smiled widened. She wasn't expecting the interior to match her dollhouse. It didn't need to.

"Jason I'll give these to you." Diane handed over the keys. "Would you mind if I tagged along?" She was curious about the interior.

Jason looked at his girlfriend leaving the decision up to her.

"Not at all." Liz didn't care if everyone who was here came.

"Thank you." Diane wasn't going to follow them through the structure. She would take her own tour, with Sal behind her.

"Cody wanted you to know that a porch could be added to the front if you wanted." Jason passed along as they walked up the front steps to the main entrance.

"I don't think that would fit here." Liz said taking in the exterior. "Some Victorians do have wide sweeping porches, here it would block the windows."

"There is a porch, or a veranda, out back." Jason explained as he opened the door. "We can check it out on the tour."

"It doesn't smell dusty." Liz was expecting that. Often when buildings sat empty your nose told you that was the case when you walked inside. They were standing in short hall that you could follow in three different directions depending on where you wanted to go in the house.

"When the home inspector was out he opened all the windows during the walk through and that aired the house out." Jason left the door open and watched as a couple of his guys took up post. Max, Marco, and Sal were all inside with them.

"What's to the left?" She asked Jason. If he looked at the website this was listed on he would have a general sense of the layout.

"Dining room, laundry room, half bath, kitchen, and breakfast area." Jason had actually requested a digital copy of the blueprints. "Also a mud room."

"That's common with this style of house." Liz's dollhouse didn't have that feature. "Straight ahead?"

"The foyer." Which they could all see. "Then the family room which has a walkout to the back porch. The outdoor space is not covered, so we might want to change that." Otherwise they might not get to use it much. "To the right is the living room and the study."

"I'm guessing that is meant to be a formal living room." Liz wasn't sure they needed that. "Maybe we could turn that into a library, or a home office." With it facing the front of the house she didn't think it would be a good work space for Jason, the study might be a better fit.

He smiled listening to her talk about what the various rooms in the house could be used for. "Upstairs there are three bedrooms, including the master suite. There is also a bonus room."

"I will want to know if that can be enclosed for a possible fourth bedroom if necessary." Liz said thinking out loud.

"It would be a fifth bedroom. There is a fourth bedroom on the third floor of the house. It has its own bathroom. In fact there are two bathrooms on the third floor because the last owner used the top of the rotunda as an exercise space complete with sauna." Jason let her know.

"Sauna?" Liz had to laugh at that. "I'm not a fan of those, but it can stay if you are planning to use it."

"Nope." Jason commented grinning. "It can come out."

"That exercise space might be a good home office for one of us." She was guessing the view was spectacular. "If there is a basement we can put the gym down there." Jason's nod let her know there was one and that it would work for what she was thinking. "Let's go see the third floor right now. We can start at the top and work our way down."

"Sounds like a good plan." Jason placed a hand on her lower back and they followed the guys up the stairs.

* * *

By the time they were standing in the kitchen Liz was head over heels in love with this house. She started making notes about the changes she wanted to make when they were looking at the sauna. Not much was going to be needed on her end. The two biggest jobs would the renovations she wanted in the kitchen and all the bathrooms. Followed by having the hard wood floors refinished. That first project probably shouldn't even take too long because a total overhaul wasn't wanted. Liz wanted to keep as many of the older touches that gave the house its character as possible. So they wouldn't be ripping much out.

Jason had also started making a list. His consisted solely of security upgrades. It was also going to require a lot more work than his girlfriend's. There wouldn't be much in the way of surprise when Cody reviewed the list Jason was compiling. If anything the enforcer might add items. If he didn't then Francis or Sonny might. Since they both owned homes they both would know what was needed.

The first thing that would happen would be the installation of the state of the art security system, which included replacing the wrought iron fence that encircled the property. It was original to the estate so that meant it was weather beaten by now. At the same time that was going on they would be replacing all the doors and windows. The doors would all have steel cores, while the front door would just be steel. The windows would be double paned, sound blocking, and bulletproof. Jason made a notation that panic rooms were needed. At least one per floor. He needed a gun safe installed, as well as an in ground personal safe. "Do you want a pool?" They didn't have one.

"That would be nice." Liz nodded as she walked to the window. The backyard was massive. "Patio space would be nice as well."

Jason nodded and made more notations. He was also going to see about have an outbuilding put behind the house as a workshop for himself. That way he could have meetings without bringing business into the house. So they would need a path to connect the two structures.

"Is there a garage?" Liz turned and asked him. From the front the house was wider than what she was feeling from the inside. "To our left?"

Jason nodded. "Four bays which gives us enough room for both your cars, the SUV, and my bike."

"I'm not sure I want to keep the Beetle, but it seems wrong to get rid of it after you've done all that work to it." Liz said biting her lower lip.

"You know Ned right?" Jason put his phone away. Dillon lived here but his big brother lived in California where his record label had its headquarters.

"Not well, but both he and Lois were nice on the occasions we've interacted." Liz wondered where her guy was going.

"They have a daughter. She's sixteen, we can send the car to her. Brook Lynn will love it." Jason knew that Ned would worry less about his daughter being on the road in such a secure vehicle. "We can get you something better suited to the snow now that you'll be commuting." Elizabeth hadn't said anything yet, but he knew they were getting the house.

"If they want it, then that would be perfect." Liz nodded her agreement.

"I'll call later tonight." Jason let her know. They could talk about what kind of car she wanted as a replacement later in the week. Tomorrow Johnny could take Elizabeth to get the Porsche and then show her how to drive it.

"Knock, knock." Diane said announcing her presence. "So what is the verdict?"

Jason looked at his girlfriend who was smiling, before turning to his attorney. "We'll take it. Closing as soon as possible please."

"The realtor is already standing by." Diane could have this property in Jason's name by tomorrow. "I can't wait to see how you are going to decorate." The lawyer said to Elizabeth.

"I have a lot of ideas about that." Liz reached up and pushed a stray curl back.

"Well, hello there." Diane walked over and took the designer's hand. "You got a souvenir from the island." This must be what Johnny was talking about.

"I did." Elizabeth wiggled her fingers. "Something small." She deadpanned.

Diane laughed at the joke. "I have no idea what stone I'm looking at, but it's stunning."

"It's a sapphire." Elizabeth figured she would be explaining that a lot.

"I've never seen an orange sapphire." Diane looked at her client. Leave it to Jason to get something so unique. "Congratulations. We will have a lot to celebrate at brunch on Sunday." Lila was hosting and she had invited everyone, including the mob folks. Because she was classy like that.

"That we will." Jason leaned against the island and smiled at his girlfriend. "That we will." He repeated thinking his life was pretty damned good.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	23. Chapter 23

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 23

"Morning." Liz opened her eyes and was already smiling. "Morning." Jason returned her smile. "Big day today."

"It is." Liz said softly. "Are you looking forward to heading back to work?" She wanted to focus on him some.

"I am." Jason knew what she was doing. He had no problem with her being the focus of things, but if Elizabeth wanted to spoil him he wasn't going to argue. "I'm sure the guys will make all kinds of smart remarks about me being a slacker." That was just how they were.

"Would you like for me to stop by after I'm done and protect you?" Liz asked as she scooted closer to him. "No one messes with my guy." She said as she kissed the underside of his chin.

"I'm sure once I tell them that you will have issues with how I'm being treated they will back off." Jason tilted his head so that she could have better access to his neck.

"That's right." Liz said placing her lips on his chest. "I don't tolerate anyone messing with my guy." She looked up at him. "I'm going to miss you today." She said getting serious for a moment.

Putting his fingers in her hair he urged her to bring her mouth up to his for a kiss. "I'm going to miss you too. Not having you beside me is going to feel odd." In the time they were away he just got used to them being together all day. He was already looking forward to the end of the day when they could just lock out the rest of the world. "Today is good though because I get to see you at lunch." They were closing on the house. "Otherwise I might start exhibiting withdrawal symptoms."

"Going cold turkey would have been too rough." She said ending on a sigh. This time it was his lips on her neck. When he glided over that one special spot she gasped in delight. "We can't have that."

"True." He said with his lips against her skin. "Once we get through today, and tomorrow, then I will have you to myself again for the weekend." His mouth found hers again for another deep kiss.

"I think we should spend Saturday at home, and naked." She arched when his lips closed over a nipple. This conversation was fun, but it was becoming increasingly harder to keep talking. Her fingers knotted up in the sheet as she moaned in pleasure.

"I think now is a good time to practice for what we can do on Saturday." Jason said still moving south. She was breathing harder and her skin was starting to flush. "What do you think?" He asked looking up her body, when she nodded he gave her a wicked grin. "Let me know if you don't like this." He said before dipping his head and giving her a more intimate kiss.

"Oh my god!" Liz said on a small scream. When he did this she went from zero to sixty in seconds. Already her body was on the edge of exploding and she was trying to hold off. Trying to not let it end too quickly. Without warning Jason pushed two fingers deep inside her body stroking her g-spot while sucking on her pearl and she shattered. Just went flying as her whole body shook.

"Feel good?" Jason asked when she opened her eyes again. He was over her with his hard cock resting at the center of her body.

"Yes." She said panting.

"Ready for more?" Jason could see the hunger in her eyes.

Liz nodded.

Keeping his eyes on hers he joined them with one stroke, going deep, and stealing her breath again. He didn't wait but simply started pumping his hips giving her long slow strokes as his body claiming hers. "You are so tight around me" Jason's voice was rough with his arousal. "It's a perfect fit. Like your body was made for mine. Do you feel that baby?" Jason wanted to know. "Do you feel how your body hugs mine? Do you feel how I fill you all the way up?"

"Ohhhhhh." Elizabeth couldn't do anything but moan it felt so good. She moved her hips to the rhythm he was setting increasing the pleasure for them both. When he suddenly pulled out she opened her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Jason assured her. "I want to change positions." He said with a sexy smile. "On your hands and knees." It wasn't a request but a command. If she said no then he would respect that, but he didn't think she would. His girl was up for anything that made them both feel good.

Liz didn't hesitate to roll over. He wasn't being domineering, she wouldn't like that but him being dominant from time to time when they were in bed was fine. It didn't hurt that this was a position that she liked very much. They hadn't made love this way yet, and that alone had her anticipating what was about to happen.

"Ready?" Jason had his hands on her hips to help her stay stable.

"Come to me Jason." Liz said looking over her shoulder at him. "Yessss!" She cried out when he filled her again. The fit was incredibly tight this way and he was hitting all the right spots when he surged forward. "More!" She was feeling greedy.

He didn't say anything but started pumping his hips faster. How it managed to get even better was mindboggling. This was his favorite position for sex but he swore that he hadn't ever felt anything this amazing with anyone else. She was gripping him so tight that he almost couldn't pull out of her body to glide back in again. "Now, Elizabeth." He said on a low growl. Holding out just wasn't going to be possible. Not with the massage her internal muscles were giving his cock.

Her whole body was pulsing with pleasure. She was right there on the brink of climax. The way he was holding her hips meant she couldn't push back against him, but honestly it wasn't necessary. Jason was more than getting the job done. She panted, then she whimpered, and then she screamed. His name. Loudly. Her orgasm slammed into her and because his hips were still moving it kept going until the pleasure was so great it almost became pain.

Fighting against his release stopped when she yelled his name. He came so hard that he saw spots dancing in front of his eyes. Still he managed to stay in control. He didn't want to fall on Elizabeth, hurting her even accidentally was not going to happen. As he came back to reality he slowed his hips before stopping them completely and pulling from her body. He stretched out on the mattress before helping her down. "Good practice."

She laughed not having expected him to say that. "It was. Our house has a yard." Her body was cooling down as her heart rate returned to normal. "We need to get a tent."

"And an air mattress." Jason finished that thought. He was actually excited about them sleeping out. "We can do that tonight before coming home if you want."

"Okay." Liz said nodding her head. She was going to her workshop. The plan was to spend the morning reviewing her sketches from Puerto Rico and figure out how they would fit into the new collection she would start designing next week. After they closed on the house she and Max were going to the fabric store. She wanted to see if they had what she needed in house, or if she needed to have something custom made.

"I'll call before I leave the office." Jason looked over at the clock. He needed to get moving. While he could show up whenever he wanted, he preferred to start his day early.

"Okay." Liz gave him a kiss and enjoyed the view as he went to the bathroom. It was going to be a great day.

* * *

"Nice tan." Sonny said coming into the office and taking a seat. "If you keep working at that then one day you could look as good as me." He told his partner with a smile. "Of course you'll never be as handsome as me because you don't have dimples." He said as his smile widened and they popped out.

"Somehow during my time away I didn't miss you." Jason was trying to not laugh. "I wonder why that was."

"Did Liz have a good time?" Sonny wanted to know.

"She loved it." Jason let his smile come out. "We'll go back again, possibly before the year is out. If not definitely next year at some point."

"Now all you need to do is take her to my island and South America." Sonny said giving out pointers.

"Anywhere else I should put on my itinerary?" Jason wanted to know.

"She wants to go to Italy." Sonny told his partner something he already knew.

"I'll make a note of that." Jason shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Glad I could help." Sonny lived to irritate Jason.

"Hey, what did we miss?" Francis asked coming in with Cody.

"You missed Sonny handing out relationship advice." Jason told his friends who also sat down. "Do you two have any to add?"

"I guess it would depend on what he already told you." Cody looked between his bosses. "If he hasn't said make sure you put the toilet seat down then I'd like to add that."

"That right there is man who will be married forever." Sonny pointed to his enforcer. "Assuming that he and Nadine ever set a date."

"We've been engaged for two months so it's not like I'm dragging my feet. Nadine hasn't found a dress she likes. She said we can't set the date until then." Cody was still trying to figure out why it took six months to get a dress in. He was going to have to ask Liz.

"I gotta agree with Cody about the toilet seat. Or you can do what I did. I had those seats that automatically lower when you flush installed." Francis told his friends. He got tired of being yelled at.

"Master level move." Cody held out his fist and his friend tapped it.

"Really? That's your advice." Jason looked between the three men. "Thank goodness I already know what to do to make my girlfriend happy." He commented shaking his head knowing that the guys were just goofing with him. "Where is Johnny?"

"Gone." Francis had news to share. It was going to make Jason very happy.

"Where?" Jason wanted to know.

"To pick up Zander." Francis said with a grin.

"You didn't say that you found him." Sonny looked at their second in command. "I asked you just yesterday."

"You should have asked again this morning." Francis shot back grinning wider. "I got a call at four this morning that the Karpov family had Zander picked up in Vancouver. They are allies of Lorenzo and he asked them to keep watch in case Smith decided to try to leave the continent via our neighbor to the north."

"I guess we owe Alcazar one." Sonny wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was true he liked Lorenzo better than Luis, he just wasn't sure he trusted him yet.

"I'll take that debt since it involves Elizabeth." Jason told his partner. They could separately issues IOUs.

"We are family. I want Zander for what he did just like you do." Sonny gave his opinion on the matter. "Liz is worth the debt."

"Thank you." Jason could see from that one statement how much Sonny had matured. "So Johnny will be back tomorrow with Smith?"

"Yes." Francis answered nodding. "Fairly early." Bringing someone who was tied up into the country was best done when it was dark out.

"Will Zander be breathing?" Cody wanted to know. It was legit question considering the dislike between the two men.

"Johnny took Chris and Kyle with him. I told them to make sure O'Brien doesn't kill Liz's ex. Things occasionally go wrong, but they will do their best to make sure this isn't one of those times." Francis wasn't stupid. "I didn't send Cody because he is going with Sonny to Jersey today for a meeting." With security already arranged changes wouldn't be made unless necessary. Since Johnny was back it was just easier to send him to Canada. Plus he would pout if he didn't get to go.

"I'll be back in time for a walk through of the new house." Cody told Jason. "Maybe after Nadine and I can take you and Liz out to dinner. To celebrate." The head of the crew that was doing the work would be with them as well. Cody mainly wanted to see inside the house.

"Okay." Jason knew Elizabeth would like to see their friends.

"Why don't you guys come out to the house? Francis you and Diane join us. I'll send out a message to a couple of the other guys as well." Sonny loved entertaining. They would be back from the meeting before one which gave him plenty of time to get everything prepped. If he needed more hands he could call a couple of the guys over.

"That's even better." Jason gave his consent for the party. Everyone could see the ring he put on his girlfriend's finger then. They would be having a bigger gathering on Sunday and O'Brien would be there for that one.

"Why isn't Lee with you?" Cody asked getting them back on business. "I was expecting him and not Rory." At some point this week Cody would sit down with their newest crew member. He expected the younger guard would top notch. Renaldo didn't tolerate laziness or guys who slacked off.

"Renaldo didn't talk to you?" Jason found that surprising.

"Yeah, and he said you would fill me in. I could hear him smirking over the phone so I'm expecting something good." Cody looked at Jason.

"Lee developed a crush on Elizabeth. Max thought it was best to reassign him. After taking time to observe the situation Renaldo and Johnny agreed with him." Jason watched his friends snicker. "Elizabeth doesn't know why Rory joined us. I didn't want her feeling self-conscious while we were down there." He said with a shrug.

"Understandable." Sonny nodded. "How is her hand?"

"All good." Jason let them know. "It wasn't a big deal in the first place, more of a nuisance. It didn't stop her from making a dress for our date." He smiled remembering how incredible she looked.

"Pictures or it didn't happen." Cody said laughing.

Jason took out his phone, typed in the password, and tossed it to his enforcer. "Middle of the page. I'm in a suit." He didn't want to give clues on the dress.

The guys were all looking at the picture. "How long did it take her to make that?" Francis was astounded by Liz's talent. Diane would pay good money for a dress like that.

"She did the work over the course of two days. One day was longer than the other." Jason told them, and the pride in his voice was clear to hear. "I couldn't even form a sentence when I first saw her."

"It's good to see the two of you right where you belong." Francis said speaking for him and his friends.

"It feels good." Jason happily admitted that.

"Alright that's enough of the sweet stuff." Sonny said getting to his feet. "Cody and I have to go do some work. He has a wedding to pay for and I need cash to afford a decent gift. Nadine would be happy no matter what I pick out, but someone else strikes me as having expensive taste." Sonny looked at his enforcer.

"I deserve the best." Cody said playing along. "I make no apologies for that."

"He hasn't even set a date." Jason reminded his partner. "What you need money for is a housewarming gift. I expect something high end."

"Diva. I don't know how Liz puts up with you." Sonny was laughing as he walked from the office with Cody behind him.

"Are you taking the afternoon off?" Francis wanted to know.

"No. Just tomorrow." Jason wanted to be around since Sonny would be working on the party menu. Francis would be fine it just wasn't fair to make him do all the work alone. "Anything else I should know?"

"Alexis is off this week. She isn't feeling well." Francis passed along.

"Same thing Diane had?" Jason asked thinking out loud.

"No clue." Francis said shrugging. "Diane can give you more information tonight if you want it."

"I'm not going to pry. Alexis will let us know if she needs something." Jason just hoped it wasn't anything serious.

"That's all I've got." Francis said getting to his feet. "Congrats on the house, and more importantly on the relationship. Liz is a good girl, remember that." It was as close to a warning as he would give out.

"I will." Jason respected that Francis would look out for Elizabeth.

"See you around the halls." The big Italian said as he left the office.

Alone Jason started catching up on his correspondence.

* * *

She'd experienced some really incredible days in her personal life recently. Today was another one. Today she and the man who held her heart were buying a house. This was where their life would unfold hopefully one that would include a family. The thought of the empty bedrooms being filled was very appealing to her. Jason wanted children as well. She knew because of a conversation they had a couple of years back. So it was just a matter of time before they began that phase of their lives.

"Sign right here." The realtor pointed with her pen. When this sale was done she was going into her office, locking the door, and dancing on her desk. This was a day she wasn't sure was ever going to arrive. Crimson Pointe wasn't the first place you thought of when you wanted to buy a mansion. However she was finally offloading this property.

Jason signed his name and passed the contract to Elizabeth. Watching as she put her signature down filled him with a deep sense of joy. She was not the type of woman you would think that someone in his line of work would end up with. However she was just what he needed. Elizabeth wasn't impressed with his job, or his bank account. In order to win her heart he had to be a good person. The fact that she would give him her heart without conditions let him know that he had achieved that goal. Edward liked to say that having Lila let him know what he was capable of being, Jason now understood what that meant.

"Here is the check." Diane handed over an envelope. "I think that concludes our transaction."

"It does." The realtor said smiling. "Thank you." She said packing up her papers and walking out of Diane's office.

"Congratulations." The attorney stacked the contracts for the house. She would file them here at the office. "I'm looking forward to gathering with everyone tonight, because it means eating something Sonny cooked. It also means we get to celebrate that you two are moving into the next phase of your lives." She very much approved of this pairing.

"Glad we could help you with that." Jason said with a wide smile. "If you just show up at his house Sonny will feed you. You know that right? You don't have to wait."

"You have to admit everything is better when Sonny cooks." Liz agreed with Diane while leaning against her guy.

"So off to the house now?" The lawyer wanted to know.

"Back to work for a few hours, then to the house." Liz laid out the schedule. "I'm going to be debuting a new piece tonight. I want some feedback before I go further." Using her friends as a sounding board wasn't something new. Emily had even worn a concept dress out on a date because Elizabeth wasn't sure about how the design would move on the body.

"You know I can be counted on to tell you what I really think." Diane told her friend. "So besides myself and the Puerto Rico crew, who else has seen that bauble?"

"No one." Liz was looking forward to showing it off tonight. "Sonny sent me a list of who will be at the dinner, so I'm going to cross off everyone but the parental units." Lila and Edward had been invited to the BBQ, and had accepted. "Both our parents can see the ring at brunch on Sunday."

"Are you expecting any problems?" Diane paid attention to Jason while asking this. He wasn't a fan of Elizabeth's parents, honestly Diane could say the same. They were just a little too elitist in their attitudes for her liking. However they didn't give their daughter grief about the choices she was making, anymore, so that was fine.

"Nope. Monica and Alan will be thrilled." Liz got along with them fairly well. She could honestly say her relationship with them was better than Jason's at times. "My parents will be happy that I'm happy." Liz said with a shrug. Her parents were both aloof by nature, it was something she was used to.

Jason just frowned, but didn't say anything.

"Since we all have things to do so that we can party later, I'm throwing you out of my office." Diane stood up and smiled at them. "Congratulations. There will probably be champagne later and we'll toast the new house then."

"I can't wait." Liz watched with a wide smile as Diane picked up the envelope with the keys. They were handed to Jason because he was sending someone out right away to change the locks. "See you then."

"That you will." Diane confirmed as she escorted them from her office.

* * *

"I'll have your new key for you when I pick you up." Jason was bringing the bike for the ride out to Crimson Pointe, and then over to Greystone.

"I can't wait. I'll probably spend the rest of the afternoon looking at paint samples." Liz admitted laughing.

"Can I hear more about this new look you mentioned?" Jason was curious, not a normal state for him.

"Nope." Liz said with a bright smile. "I want your opinion too. You can see it when you swing by to get me." This was something inspired by their time away. At the cars she gave him a kiss. "Grab something to eat at your desk."

"You too." Jason kissed her again. "I love you." He said softly.

"I love you too." Liz replied before getting into the car next to Max. The good days just kept coming. Tomorrow would be another one, but she wasn't going to think about that right now. "How about we hit a drive through to grab something to eat and then you can take me to the paint store?" He needed lunch too.

"The one on Front Street work for you?" Max asked pulling from the space.

"Yup. They have chocolate shakes." Liz replied nodding. That was the perfect celebration lunch item.

* * *

Thank for the reviews!


	24. Chapter 24

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 24

"Jason's here." Max tapped on the door to the bathroom. Liz had gone inside to get changed. This morning he had watched her make the garment she was putting on. The fact that she went from a piece of fabric to a finished product in under five hours was fascinating. She explained that what she was making was basic, but it wasn't something he could do. So he was left impressed.

"Thanks." Liz called out before opening the door. "Thank you also for letting me drag you through the fabric store this morning and the design shop this afternoon." Her guard had been very patient.

"Thank you for not asking my opinion on things." Max grinned at her. "I don't mind telling you what I think about fabrics. At the same time I don't want to help you decorate your house."

"Understandable." Liz said walking over and getting her gear. After the closing they had swung by the Towers to pick it up. She was already in her boots, and a pair of grey jeans. Her makeup was light because they were just going to be hanging out with friends. "Once I move to the house you are going to have a pretty long commute." Liz looked over at him. "Coming to get me, then driving back into Port Charles and reversing that in the evening." It was long in comparison to what he did now.

"I'm going to move as well." Max let her know. "Jason owns the Dorchester Towers which are almost a carbon copy of the Harbor View Towers. Even built by the same architect. We already have a lot of guys living there." With a territory this large they couldn't all be concentrated in one space. Having guys living, as well as working, in Crimson Pointe gave them a presence there.

"I'm not uprooting you am I?" Liz wanted an honest answer.

"Nope." Max promised her. "I'm looking forward to getting a new space. I was looking around some while we were at the design shop. I've never been in there and to know I can get paint, furniture, art, and such all in one place is helpful." He wasn't overly fussy about his living space, but he wanted it to be nice.

"I don't mind you shopping for your place while we are shopping for the house. In fact it's a good use of time." Liz walked to the window and looked down. The bike was parked which meant Jason was on his way up.

"I can shop on my own time." Max took his job seriously, and he wasn't buying stuff while he should be protecting Liz.

"At least make notes." She said laughing. "Snap a few pictures. While I'm trying to decide between the six shades of blue I like grab some paint cards for yourself."

"You are a bad influence." Max said giving her a look.

"Francis often says the same thing." Liz said with a grin. "I like living up to my reputation." She gave into her laughter. "Please go let Jason in." She made herself stay still when the doorbell rang. Having Max answer the door made her uncomfortable, but it relaxed him so she would get used to it. She heard the guys talking before her boyfriend walked into the reception area. Or it would be if she had a receptionist which she didn't. This was really where her models sat while she arranged the background during shoots. "Hi."

"Hi." Jason smiled over at her before leaning in for a kiss. "Is this the new item?" He had seen everything else she was wearing before.

"It is." Liz waved her hand in her best spokesmodel manner. It was a sleeveless tank top with a high rounded neckline. The top was an ivory fabric and the bottom three quarters of the shirt was covered by a graphic lace rose print. She was wearing it fitted, but it would look good in a loose style as well. This might even make a fantastic dress.

"I like it." Jason took her hand and turned her. The pattern continued on the back.

"I'm experimenting with the flowers, and with the theme of black and white. Or off white in this case. I like the graphic feel of this design. I may also do this pattern on colored fabric, maybe red. I'm not sure yet. I wanted to evoke a feeling of lace. More like an homage then the actual thing." Liz explained as she slipped into her jacket.

"So would you buy that fabric from the store and then dye it yourself to get the color you want, or does the shop do that for you?" Jason wouldn't talk fashion with anyone but his girl. Because it was her passion that meant it was important to him as well.

"I would buy the fabric and dye it. Then do like I did this morning and draw on the image." Liz said grabbing her headgear. She could not wait to get on the bike, it felt like forever since they last went for a ride. "It would cost a lot to have several bolts of this design custom created at the store because of the detailing, but if I want a lot of pieces like this in the collection I may have to go that route."

Jason stopped her. "Wait. Take off your jacket." He requested, because he wanted to look at the design again. "Seriously?" He asked looking at the detailing. "You drew this by hand?"

"Yeah. It took about three hours to get it right. The good part was that by the time I finished the back the front was dry which meant I could pin it to the form. Then I had to match up the two panels. I think Max may have learned a few new words while that was going on." Liz said laughing at herself. "The sewing took maybe fifteen minutes tops." It was minimal sewing for this pattern.

"You say that like it's no big deal." Jason was gob smacked.

Liz just shrugged. "For me it's not." This was what she did. "Since we are running early can we stop off at the fabric shop? I went through my last three black fabric markers. I need to get another box. Max has done enough shopping for the day."

"That won't be a problem. You can get a case of them if that is easier. Max can put them in the back of his SUV if you want." Jason let her know as she locked up. The guard was already in the hall.

"I don't want to buy too much overhead just yet. Not with me moving shortly. The gals are coming over to help me pack and unpack." Liz further explained as they went down the stairs. "After I move into my new store I will go stock up." It wasn't that she didn't trust the crew to be careful. It was that she was fussy about who touched her work items. "So for now the one box will be fine. Mainly because I'll be spending my last bit of time in my workspace photographing looks for the website."

* * *

Down at the bike they both put on their helmets. Since they were wired they continued their conversation on the way to the fabric store, and then on the way to the house. They dismounted and stood looking at the structure. "Here is your key." Jason said after digging it out of his pocket.

She had to clear her throat before speaking. "Thanks."

They were holding hands when they reached the front door. "You do the honors." He requested.

"Okay." Liz put the key in the lock and let the knowledge settle that this was home. When the door swung open Jason scooped her up and carried her over the threshold.

He turned so that they were looking at the front door again and walked forward. "Deactivate the alarm." He gave her the numbers. Right now it was his birthday and hers. "That code is going to change because it's too obvious. I needed something to use for now because the construction crew will be in and out of the house. We'll come up with the new one together."

Liz nodded in understanding. "The locks will change again once we are living here?" She guessed based on his statement. The crew would need keys to gain access to the house. Even if Jason went the route of giving the key to the guard who would be here with the crew the locks would change again.

"Yes they will. In fact they will probably be changed once a year." It was just a security measure. Sonny and Francis did the same thing.

"I'll try not to get annoyed by that." Liz said grinning. It drove Diane up the wall. "My shop will not be getting that treatment." The designer gave her boyfriend a look.

"Fair enough." Jason only agreed because Elizabeth agreed that he could do the security layout. The building would have more obvious security enhancements, like cameras, and some not so obvious like bulletproof glass. Plus once word got around that she was his girlfriend, and no longer just his friend, only an idiot would go after her store.

"Welcome home." Liz rose up on her toes and brought her mouth to his. The kiss was getting good when Cody arrived.

"Sorry." The enforcer said grinning. Jason was breathing hard which was a clue to what had been interrupted.

"It's okay." Jason told his friend.

"Congratulations." The former solider said looking around the entry way. He had looked over the specs Jason sent and been pleased at what he was reading. Namely that under the siding the façade was brick. That meant no one was shooting through the walls. "On the ring as well." He was guessing the ladies were going to spend a lot of time tonight talking about that.

"Thanks." Jason put his arm around Elizabeth and smiled wide.

"Thanks Cody." Liz echoed her guy. "Shall we get started, that way we aren't too late to the BBQ." They would probably be the last to arrive anyway.

"Let me go get Seth." Cody figured the guys would discuss the ring, and the house, tonight. Nadine was excited to hear about the trip, and he couldn't wait to see his girlfriend's reaction to the ring. The enforcer brought back the head of his crew and made introductions. Jason already knew him so it was just Liz who he had to meet.

"Congratulations on the house." Seth told the couple. He had been surprised to hear that Jason bought this place, it didn't seem at all like him. Then he heard that the blonde was in a serious relationship and it made more sense. "Cody forwarded me your notes, and I did the inspection so today we can do a walk through and talk both those things. Who will I be contacting if I need additional instructions?"

"Me." Jason told the foreman. His girlfriend was going to be busy.

"Please clear everything with Ms. Webber before telling me to do something." Seth said laughing. "I cannot tell you how many fights I've witnessed because the guy has gone rogue." The company did work for non-mobsters as well.

"I'm sure that Jason will do fine. We have similar ideas on a lot of things." Liz was laughing too because she had seen first-hand what he was talking about. Her mother almost killed her father when he picked the wrong wallpaper after what she ordered was out of stock. Liz wasn't that high maintenance. "Would you like to start down here or upstairs?"

"Let's start in the kitchen because that is going to be the biggest project. After that we can go outside and talk about the patio area. Then we can head upstairs." Seth followed them down the hall. "I brought some pictures because folks tend to work better from images." Even though Jason couldn't see the pictures, he would see the colors which was what really mattered. He opened the cover on his tablet. "Let's start with cabinets. These are oak and in great shape." Seth pointed to the existing cabinets.

"I like these as well. I don't like the color though." They were currently hickory brown which she felt was too light. Liz pulled out her paint sample. "I prefer this color. Spiced Cherry."

"That will look good in the room." Seth nodded making notations.

"The island needs to be replaced. Since we have the breakfast nook I don't want seating in the kitchen itself." She went through his pictures. "This is perfect." Her sink would be in the island and below it would be storage as well as a few refrigerated drawers. That way prep could be done here. "I like to bake so I'd like a quartz top on the island."

"Quartz throughout the kitchen?" Seth asked making notes.

"Throughout the house. I want all the vanities in the bathrooms to match what is in the kitchen. The same with the cabinets." Liz explained looking over at Jason. "Feel free to speak up if you don't like something."

"I will." Jason really didn't have any design ideas in his head. His lack of imagination made it hard to picture how anything he picked would fit into a room.

"May I suggest something lighter in color since it's not just going to be here?" Seth pulled up another image. "Like this."

"I have a sample piece in my bag, but what you have is better." Liz said nodding.

"The design shop in town is good for a lot things." Seth always tried to support local businesses if he could. "Countertops isn't one of them." He made notations. "Wall color?"

"I want all the walls down here painted Cappucino White. That should be on the stairwell, and in all the bathrooms." Liz handed over her sample. "The main portion of the third floor as well."

Seth nodded. "So the bedrooms are getting different colors."

"Yes. We can talk about them when we get there." Liz thought that would be easier. Plus she wanted to show Jason the color she picked for their bedroom before making it official with Seth.

"While we are here what color are your floors going to be?" Seth wanted to know.

"Oak. Throughout the house." Liz wasn't customizing that to fit each room.

"I would recommend a laminate in both your laundry room and your mud room. If you remove wet items in the mud room it will preserve the floors in the house. I suggest laminate in the laundry room because washers can spring a leak." Seth passed along some knowledge picked up on the job.

"Let's do that then. Can you build me some shoe boxes for the mud room? Please?" Liz liked the idea of that.

"I can put in hooks too." Seth promised her making more notes. "Let's head outside now."

Cody looked over at his boss. "Your house is going to be amazing."

"The only thing that matters is that Elizabeth is happy with it." Jason told his friend as they went to find out what she had planned for the outdoor space. "But yeah it will be."

* * *

"I noticed that nothing you picked out for the house is yellow." Jason pointed out. They were standing in the living room while Seth and Cody were taking measurements in the kitchen. Once they were done then everyone could leave.

"I don't really like yellow on the walls or on large pieces of furniture." Liz let him know. "I've tried a variety of shades and it just never works out well. I'm thinking the patio area will have yellow in it, probably the pillows. Yellow will also find its way into the house proper as an accent color."

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't leave it out because you thought I wouldn't like it." Jason had made his wishes known as they walked through the house. He had picked the blue that was going to be on the walls in their bedroom. A deeper shade of that hue would be in the bathroom in their towels and shower curtain.

"I know that if I said that I wanted the entire living room painted yellow, you wouldn't argue." Liz said leaning over and kissing him. "When something mattered to you then you spoke up." She knew there just things he really wouldn't care much about. Like plates.

He had mentioned when she was decorating the penthouse that he could care less what those looked like. So she played a prank on him and stocked the cabinets with hot pink plates. He didn't say a word and just used them until she came and took them away. Jason's comments had been plates are plates as long as they hold the food he didn't pay them much attention.

"Okay, we're all set." Seth came into the living room. "We'll start the work tomorrow. The master suite and the kitchen will be done first. When those are finished you'll have the option of moving in if you like. The last area we will work on is outside. The patio, the outdoor kitchen, and Jason's office suite. I need to call in a contractor for the pool, and I'll have a start date for you tomorrow. I'm guessing it will be sometime this week."

"Please ask about safety features for the pool." Liz figured they may as well get that squared away now. "Particularly covers, fences, and alarms."

"Are you interested in all three?" Seth was making more notes.

"Yes." Liz nodded thinking that they couldn't be too careful.

"I'll make sure to do that." Seth closed his tablet cover. "If you have any questions just give me a call." He handed over two business cards.

"Thank you." Liz shook his hand before Jason did. "Thank you Cody."

"You're welcome." Cody liked making sure his friends were taken care off. "I'll send a text to let Sonny know we are heading over now."

"Max is probably starving. I worked him hard today." Liz said grinning as she headed to the door. Jason set the alarm and then locked up making sure his key worked.

Jason got on the bike and held the machine steady as Elizabeth got on behind him. When her arms came around his waist and she let him know she was ready, they roared off the property.

* * *

Walking into the house they were directed to the living room where Lila was waiting with Edward. Cody had asked Sonny to have the older couple in the house so that Jason and Liz could share their news with them first. The enforcer didn't say why but that their friends would share with everyone when they got out back.

"Welcome home." Lila held out her hands so that they would come closer.

"Thank you. Hello Mr. Q." Liz gave Jason's grandfather a kiss. "How are you?"

"I'm with two pretty ladies so I am doing great." Edward said grinning. When Jason rolled his eyes the older man beamed. One of his great joys in life was flirting with Carly in front of AJ. Now he could mess with Jason too.

"How was your trip?" Lila asked when they sat.

"Fantastic." Jason picked up his girlfriend's hand and held it out for his grandparents to see. "I gave Elizabeth a ring to wear."

"Well done my boy." Edward extended his hand and shook Jason's when his grandson did the same. He had been worried that this wasn't ever going to happen.

"Is that a sapphire?" Lila wanted to know.

"It is." Liz nodded as she answered. "No one else has guessed that. I should have known you would get it right."

Lila looked at Edward and smiled. "Lila knows because I gave her an orange sapphire for our twentieth wedding anniversary. Great minds think alike." He told the young couple.

"Really?" Jason hadn't know that, or maybe he did and the memory was now lost. "A ring?"

"No, a necklace." Lila would make sure to leave that to Elizabeth in her will. She would also let the younger woman borrow it whenever she liked.

"We will need to wear them at the same time so that everyone else is envious of us." Liz liked that they had this in common.

"You mean they aren't already?" Lila asked laughing. "Congratulations. Elizabeth you have always been family, now it's official."

"Thank you." Liz had to blink back tears. "We have more news to share."

"Unless you want to use your superpowers to guess." Jason teased his grandmother a little.

"I would be careful." Edward warned Jason. "Your grandmother has more power than you suspect." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. Very little got by his Lila.

"If you mean about the house, I already know." Lila had eyes and ears everywhere. Not to mention that when a house that expensive sold everyone wanted to know who the buyer was. "Audrey adored that house, she had your dollhouse modeled after it."

Jason was just shaking his head, he really shouldn't be surprised.

"I was wondering." Liz said trying not to laugh at her boyfriend.

"It was built just before she and Steve moved here. They actually had an apartment not far from it before moving into Port Charles and buying the house your father would grow up in." Lila shared her knowledge. "I think it's fitting that you would live there. May I send some roses?"

"We would love that. Thank you. May I be forward and request a specific type?" Liz asked Lila.

"It's my turn to impress you." Lila covered the hand of the young woman who would one day be Jason's wife. "You want the Peace rose."

Liz just nodded, swallowing hard so she didn't cry. Lila wasn't reading her mind. The Peace rose had been her gram's favorite type of all the roses in the Quartermaine garden. After the funeral service Liz had sat in the garden surrounded by them and cried on Jason's shoulder while Em held her hand. Even now sitting there made Elizabeth feel close to her grandmother.

"I'll have my gardener come over and find where the best place to plant them will be." Lila thought it would be a fitting tribute to her friend, and Elizabeth's grandmother.

"Thank you." For Liz those flowers would mean that both her gram and Lila were watching over them.

"If the soil won't work then we'll have a green house built on the property." Jason told both women. If his girlfriend wanted those roses then she would have them.

"I think we've hogged you enough. It's time to go out back so you can show that ring off properly." Edward said getting to his feet to man the wheelchair.

"I agree with my husband." Lila wanted to visit with everyone. Late nights for her were rare, so they would leave before the party ended.

Jason got to his feet at the same time as Elizabeth. "I want that. What they have." She said looking into his azure blue eyes.

"Me too." Jason smiled at his grandfather's back. "We are on our way."

"Yes, we are." Liz linked their fingers as they followed Edward and Lila to the backyard.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	25. Chapter 25

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 25

"They finally made it! Thanks for joining us at the party thrown in your honor!" Emily yelled from the table where she was sitting with the other ladies. Her grandmother had come out of the house and joined them just before Liz and Jason stepped outside. Probably not coincidental. Somehow at these gatherings they always ended up separated from the guys unless they were eating. No matter how old you got somethings just didn't change.

"We were trying to avoid you." Jason shot back at his sister. She responded by sticking out her tongue. Too bad AJ wasn't here, they absolutely loved ganging up on their sister. Even together they were no match for Emily. She always won in the end. They were used to that.

"I'll go sit with the ladies. I can make sure that Emily doesn't come over and hurt you." Liz enjoyed watching them interact. Jason loved being a big brother and he was good at it. "Hi." Liz said sitting down in the empty space to Emily's right.

"Elizabeth that shirt is fantastic!" Diane loved to see what looks the young designer would be sporting. At the closing earlier today she had been in a lovely sundress.

"Thank you. This is the piece I wanted to get opinions on." Liz stood up and turned so that they could see the entire thing. "I made it this morning, and I'm liking it."

"I would buy it." Nadine told her friend. "I like that the fabric it isn't white. I've destroyed every white article of clothing I've ever owned."

"The contrast would have been too stark. I'm thinking of adding color to the mix. If make the pattern colorful those will probably be on either black or white fabric. If I make the fabric a different color I will need to decide if the ink is black or white." Liz told them deciding it was a keeper. "I have time, this won't be mass produced for a while yet."

"Tell us about the house." Georgie was down at the other end of the table across from Lila. Milo had mentioned the two of them maybe getting a house the other day. She would love that because she wanted to get a dog.

"First Liz needs to tell us about that ring." Emily pointed to her friend's hand. She had spotted it when Liz did her turn. Jason hadn't mentioned that when he was being sneaky about the house. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

"The house is stunning." Liz said playing dumb. "I can't wait until the work is done and we can have everyone over. I have pictures who wants to see?"

"Change seats with Emily so we can all see the ring. We'll get back to the house later." Georgie told her friend.

"Just raise your hand." Nadine was happy for her friends. She was sitting across the table from Elizabeth and had also spotted the ring. She just wasn't pushy like Emily. "I'm sure they can see that sucker from the space station. What stone is that?"

"Sapphire." Liz wiggled her fingers and grinned. "No we aren't engaged, and no I didn't have a clue it was happening."

"So you had a good trip?" Emily thought Liz looked okay, just okay. The skin under her eyes was a bit puffy which said she still wasn't sleeping so well. Emily had been worried about how her friend was doing while down on the tropical island. Not calling had been so hard, but she knew her brother had the situation under control. Her friend had been checking in but they kept those conversations light. She also knew that Liz needed the space. "Because that ring says you had a good trip."

"I did." Liz smiled thinking about it. "It was more beautiful than I would have imagined. I'm already anticipating when we'll go back."

"It's a quick flight so trips down are easily worked into the schedule. The summer is hurricane season so keep that in mind." Diane generally liked to go in the winter to escape the frigid temperatures in Port Charles.

Liz looked around the table. "Catch me up, what has everyone been doing while I was away." She had taken up enough time.

"Nadine should go first." Georgie nudged their friend. They would change topics for now, but at some point they would want to hear more about the ring.

"I found a wedding dress." The nurse practitioner said smiling wide. "So we set a date."

"When?" Liz got out her phone so she could mark the date. If they weren't all getting together tonight Cody might have mentioned this while they were at the house.

"Valentine's Day." Nadine had a lop-sided grin on her face. "I know it's hokey, but that is actual the day we met."

Liz created an event on her calendar and put away her phone. "What style dress did you go with?" She hadn't celebrated the day in years, and this would be a nice way to get back into the habit.

"Dropped waist with a sweetheart neckline." Nadine shared with the entire table because no one else had seen it yet.

"Who did you go with?" Emily had tagged along for an appointment when Nadine's sister Jolene couldn't make it.

"I went traditional and got an Angel Ellis gown." Nadine grinned at Liz. "It was recommended."

"When someone as talented as Elizabeth gives you advice you take it." Diane had herself worn an Ellis wedding dress. The woman was the go to for wedding gowns for a reason.

"That in and of itself is great advice." Lila said from her spot at the table.

"I'm going with one of her bridesmaid's gowns for the party." Nadine had already asked all her friends to stand up with her. "I asked for the ugliest gown they had, but apparently the Ellis line doesn't create upholstery inspired looks."

The ladies all laughed. Each one had been in weddings, and they all had a horror story to share. "What color are we wearing?" Emily wanted to know.

"Green." Nadine smiled at them. "I went with probably the most untraditional color, but you all look good in it."

"It also happens to be your favorite color." Liz was just happy Nadine didn't say red. That color on that day might be too much. "When can we stop by to get fitted?" Their dresses had to be ordered as well.

"If possible I'd like everyone to go in next week. Just tell them you are in the Crowell bridal party. Liz I'm looking forward to your opinion on the dress. No hints though." Nadine hoped her friend liked it. She was nervous dressing someone as talented as Liz.

"I'm sure it's perfect." Liz would say that even if she hated it. "Who else has news to share?"

"No one, so let's get back to that ring." Emily knew Liz wouldn't want to hog the limelight. "We want the story behind how my brother gave it to you. I want to be able to tease him for his lack of romance."

"Sorry Em, that isn't going to happen." Liz shook her head as she grinned. "The story involves him renting out an entire restaurant and me making an original dress."

"We need to see the dress." Diane was thrilled about the ring, but fashion took precedence.

Liz found the picture she had asked Johnny to take.

"Tell me this will be in a future collection." Diane would snap it up in heartbeat.

"In some form. I brought back the fabric with me." Liz already had a variation of the dress in mind for the spring/summer line she was creating.

"Dang." Emily said in mock disappointment. "I would take a picture and send it to Carly, but she's going to hurt my brother for the fact that she isn't here to see the ring in person. Of course that should make up for me not getting to mess with Jason." She said with a wicked grin. No picture would happen because she didn't want to steal Liz's thunder.

Liz laughed out loud as she listened to her best friend plot. She had missed her gals. They needed to get together for some fun as soon as possible.

* * *

Jason walked over to where his friends were gathered. "You got a new grill."

"I had to put my name on a waiting list almost eight months ago." Sonny said grinning at his new toy. "I think I may have actually skipped around my office when I got the notification that it had left the warehouse." There was nothing the mob boss could do to move his name further up the list. He had been checking his email every morning. "Now that you have a house you'll need one of these."

"Maybe not one so big." Jason looked at the massive grill. For Sonny it made sense to having something that could make enough food to feed an army. Jason would be content with something smaller. "I do need a stand mixer."

"I can get that for you." Sonny would make it a house warming present. The young couple wasn't going to need much and now he didn't have to worry about what to get. "One like mine?"

"Yeah. In yellow if that is an option." Jason asked his friend.

"What else do you guys need?" Francis wanted to know. He was sitting in one of the chairs.

"No clue." Jason admitted walking over to the outdoor refrigerator to grab a water. Because he was on the bike he wouldn't be drinking. "Do you register somewhere when you buy a new house? I know you do it for weddings and babies. Although I don't think we need much."

"It's a house, you will always need something." Francis said with a grin. "I'm thankful when something breaks I can call and have someone come out to fix it."

"Liz will tell the ladies what to buy." Cody commented looking over at where they were sitting. "We will just carry the boxes into the house."

"How long until the work is done?" Edward wanted to know. Hanging out with mobsters was now a regular part of his life.

"About three weeks for the interior." Jason also took a seat. "We'll know more about the external work in the next few days."

"Another big day tomorrow for Liz." Francis said smiling.

"We are excited to host the celebration for that." Edward was as proud of Elizabeth as he was of Emily. "Cook is going all out. Almost everyone has RSVP'd."

"Who are you waiting for?" Max wanted to know. He was sitting next to his brother. Milo hadn't said anything in almost fifteen minutes which wasn't surprising.

"Carolyn and Jeff have not said that they are attending." Edward told the group. "They flew out of state on Wednesday. Carolyn was invited to operate on a patient at Denver General." The surgery had been on Friday so Edward had expected to hear from them yesterday.

"Elizabeth won't be hurt if they don't make it. Her mother is one of the best pediatric surgeons in the country." Jason was not going to force his opinion on the situation. "She would want her mother to help the child who needed it."

"How is she doing? Really?" Francis wanted to know.

"She's working her way through things." Jason told everyone. Elizabeth was still having nightmares. Not every night now, but when they hit they were bad.

Diane walked over and every single guy stood up. "Make sure you see Elizabeth's new accessory and comment on it."

"New accessory." Sonny looked over at his partner and grinned. He was guessing a ring. "We will."

"Diane. Can I ask you a question, about fashion?" Jason was curious about something.

"Are you feeling alright?" The lawyer asked being cheeky.

"The shirt that Elizabeth is wearing, how much would you pay for it?" Jason wanted to know.

"More than she is going to charge." Diane didn't hesitate to answer. "Because Liz is the owner of a smaller label she can't charge couture prices even though she does couture quality work."

"She drew that pattern on her shirt by hand. This morning." Jason was still awed by that.

"That doesn't surprise me." Diane was getting that Jason was just now realizing the level of Liz's talent. He had always been her biggest supporter. No matter what he had been in her corner, but that had been about her as a person. Now he was really seeing Liz the designer. "I told her I would buy it tonight, right off her back, and I still mean it. That dress she wore in Puerto Rico." Jason would know which one. "I want that dress."

"The black one?" Francis remembered looking at the picture and thinking that was something his wife would wear.

"Exquisite." Diane summed the look up with one word. "When the fashion world finally realizes what they have been overlooking her star is going to shoot up." The lawyer made her prediction. "And I will have clothes that no one else does." She truly believed that in twenty years vintage Audrey March clothing would still be selling. "Accessory." She reminded the guys before going to join the ladies.

"She drew that, huh?" Sonny looked over at Liz.

"I was there when she did it." Max told his boss. "It's kind of fascinating watching her work. I stayed out of the way, but I got to see the image come to life. I may need to start dressing better." He said laughing. Today was his first day of jeans.

"You're fine." Francis knew his friend was just joking. "You'll also get the inside track on menswear when she starts designing that too."

"You get to meet the models too." Cody pointed out.

"They are underage." Jason didn't want Max to get into trouble, although Elizabeth would have warned her guard. "So don't go there."

Max nodded his head to say he understood. He was actually interested in Diane's assistant Clarice so the models wouldn't interest him anyway.

"Food's ready." Sonny said taking things off the grill. "Someone go grab the side dishes from the refrigerator."

"We'll all go." Jason got to his feet. Knowing Sonny there were a lot. "Grandfather will you tell the ladies it's time to eat?"

"I can. It's a dangerous job, being in the midst of all those beautiful creatures, but I'm up to it." He said grinning as he walked off.

"Your grandfather has swagger to spare." Cody said laughing. "Come on. I'm hungry."

* * *

"You look pretty." Jason was sitting on the arm of the chair when she came down the stairs. He put his phone away as he stood up. They had a lot of fun last night with their friends. The guys all congratulated him on his good taste in rings, but more importantly in women.

"Thanks." Liz said placing a hand on her stomach to calm her nerves. She had skipped breakfast because of the chance that it wouldn't stay down. Today she checked off the item that was at the top of her wish list. Even more than a show at fashion week. More than a trip to Italy. More than meeting her design idols, having a shop was the ultimate goal. And today it was going to happen.

She would buy the building today, then have a meeting with Cody and another crew head. In a few weeks she would move from her current workshop to the upper floors in the boutique. On the lower floor she would set up her sales area. At some point during that time she needed to hire some workers. Lots to do. Hopefully those things would lead to the others on her wish list.

She made herself take a deep breath. Looking forward was never a bad thing. Dreams were what inspired you. At the same time she needed to stay firmly in the present because it was her hard work now that would make those dreams a reality.

As she reached those goal Jason would be standing next to her. No matter what was going on in her life she would always have room for him. "Thank you for coming with me today." He was going to sit outside in the waiting area of the bank with Max while she signed the deed to the property.

He didn't intend to horn in her moment. He had planned on spending the morning in his home office and then picking her up once she was done her walk through with Cody. Today was about her, and Jason was aware that his presence could overshadow that. There would be times when he was the center of their lives. That was just how relationships went. Today was her day. "Thank you for asking me to come."

"When I walk out of the office you are the first person I want to see." Liz reached out and took his hand. "Professional success means more because I have you beside me." Having that balance was healthy and important. For both of them. "We should go."

"Yeah, we don't want to be late." Jason looked at the clock. Diane would already be at the bank waiting.

* * *

"Is that one of yours?" Diane asked looking at Elizabeth's outfit. A white shirtdress with a navy striped collar, a matching skirt, and blue cloth covered buttons. It was classic with clean lines and crisp colors. It could be business casual as is, or a bit more professional with a blazer. Or you could wear this out to lunch with friends. It was another multipurpose instant classic look. Even the dark blue pumps were on point. "If so why have I not seen it before?" Because of the blue in the collar Diane could wear that without being washed out.

"It is one of mine. I thought that today it was important to wear something I created to sign the paperwork." Liz told the attorney. "This is actually a piece from my first ever collection. The one I had to create at the end of my senior year to graduate from college. This was my ladies who lunch look, but it's always been one of my favorite pieces." She explained why she selected the piece. "I haven't had a place to wear it and I couldn't bear to part with it." She still had each of the twelve looks she had to create.

"You got an A, correct?" Diane was hoping a look similar to this found its way into a future collection.

"Highest grade in the class." Liz said bragging on herself a little.

Diane looked over and the manager, who was handling the sale nodded to them. "It appears that they are ready for us." The attorney smiled at her friend. "Take a deep breath." When she started her firm she had this same feeling. Fear mixed with excitement. Knowing you were taking a huge step, but that it was the right one.

"Okay." Liz nodded, she was ready.

"Gentlemen, we'll be back." Diane told the guys who were waiting for them. "After you." She told Elizabeth. It was time to buy a building.

* * *

"Did Francis contact you?" Jason asked Max.

"There was a message waiting on my phone." Max told his boss.

Jason just nodded. They wouldn't be discussing this here, but he just wanted to make sure Max was in the loop. Johnny and his crew landed at a private airstrip at three this morning. With Zander Smith in tow. At some point over the weekend Jason would be wrapping up that loose end.

* * *

"Seems like déjà vu doesn't it?" Diane smiled as Elizabeth signed the deed to her new boutique.

"Lots of happy going on this week." Liz nodded as her stomach finally settled. For some reason she had been convinced that something was going to go wrong.

"All of it deserved. You worked hard to get to this point." Diane handed over the check. Today's closing had been a little longer because Liz had to sign the papers for her tax break. Still they had managed to get everything done in just over thirty minutes.

"Let me get a receipt." The manager of the property department said stepping from the room.

"How excited are you to finally be able to go into the building?" Diane had read Cody's report after the inspection. Liz was planning to gut the place and start over so the damage wasn't disheartening.

"I don't think I have words. I haven't been over there since the morning I called you to ask if you could help me obtain the shop." Liz admitted to her friend. "I was convinced that if I walked or drove by I would see a sold sign replacing the bank notice. It just seemed too good to be true that there would be a foreclosure in that neighborhood that I might be able to afford. This time last year I couldn't have afforded it."

"Hard work pays off in the end." Diane firmly believed that.  
"Now you have a company headquarters and shop where you will make me beautiful clothes to wear. I am looking forward to wowing everyone at the Nurses' Ball this year, just like last year."

"Okay. Here is the receipt and the keys. Congratulations Ms. Webber." The manager held out his hand. "Good luck with your business."

"Thank you." Liz looked down in her palm where the key to her boutique rested. "I need to go see Jason." She put her copy of all the paperwork in her briefcase.

"Then let's do that." Diane took the envelope with her copy of the paperwork. Just like she did yesterday she would file these.

Liz walked out the door and over to where Jason was waiting. "I own a building." She said as the tears started. "It's real." She showed him the key.

"You are going to do amazing things in your boutique." Jason pulled her close and gave her a hard hug.

"I want to go to the building now." Liz said almost bouncing on her toes. Excitement was coursing through her system.

"Cody is here." Jason pointed to his friend. "So we can head over now. Are you joining us?" He asked his attorney.

"If Elizabeth doesn't mind. I've never purchased a building sight unseen before. Well the interior anyway." Diane wanted to see just how bad it was.

"I would love to have you come along. I wouldn't be here without you." Liz created the business but Diane had made the boutique's location happen.

"I'll follow you over." The attorney said getting them all moving.

* * *

Liz put the key in the lock and had to blink back more tears. The windows were covered with paper so you couldn't see inside. That probably wouldn't change until she was ready to open. The musty smell she had been expecting at the house was definitely here. "White may have not been the best choice."

"Actually it's pretty clean inside." Cody was standing behind her along with Jason and Diane. "When I had the inspection done I also sent in a crew to clean up some." He knew she was buying the place. "I didn't want anything dangerous lying about during your first visit." What the crew hadn't been able to do was air the structure out.

"Thank you." Liz said smiling over at him. They all took care of each other in big and little ways. "Would you mind waiting outside for a minute?" She asked her guy.

"Not at all, come get me when you're ready." Jason said giving her a kiss.

Liz walked inside alone and got her first look at the space where her business would grow. There was obvious damage, but that would be repaired. The floors were dull, but they would shine again. She just stood in the empty room and took it all in. With a soft sigh she gave a smile that was just a bit sad. "Look Gram. Look what I've done with what you taught me. From flower covered shorts to my very own store. I hope you are proud of me." She closed her eyes and swore she felt a breeze in the still room. With a smile that was a lot brighter she opened her eyes and went to get Jason.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	26. Chapter 26

ABC/DISNEY own GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 26

Jason came down the stairs of the penthouse. He stopped at the bottom and looked over at his girlfriend who was sitting on the couch. They had a great day staying inside, but the closer it came to the time they had to leave the quieter she got. Walking over he sat on the coffee table and took both her hands in his. Her cold hands. "You can stay here." He let her know.

"No I can't." Liz looked at him. "I need to go."

"I don't want you to do something you will have trouble living with." Jason rubbed his hands over hers to warm them.

"I'm not having trouble with this decision." Liz assured him. She was not going to lose a bit of sleep over this. Some people might think that was cold, but Zander meant her harm. She was only taking the necessary steps to protect herself. "That's not why I'm so quiet. I'm not having trouble with what you're going to do tonight." She wanted that clear too. "What was I thinking?"

"About?" Jason was lost.

"Zander." Liz said looking at her guy. "Every single time he begged me to take him back, he said he cared about me. Then he let Logan kidnap me. I already knew that he didn't really care about me because he slept with my supposed friend. I was smart enough to put those puzzle pieces together. But kidnapping me took his self-absorbedness to a whole new level. That's the epitome of thinking that his feelings on a matter are more important than mine. I didn't want to see him again, and he forced me to. For what reason? Did he think that I was going to leave that cabin with him? And what was the plan when I told him to shove that idea up his ass."

Jason got that he had misread the situation. He thought her silence was second guessing her request to go talk to Zander. In reality what was causing her silence was her anger. "He's waiting, so you can ask him all those questions." Honestly Jason and the guys wanted those questions answered as well. They had a better chance of getting answers if Elizabeth was doing the asking.

"Good. Let's go." Liz said getting up from the couch and going to the door, without waiting for her guy. She might end up popping Zander one because he more than had it coming. "Hi Max."

"Liz." The guard was in the hall. Marco was downstairs with the car. Everyone else was already at the safe house they had picked for tonight. Max looked over at Jason, and his boss nodded. So the big guard knew that his charge was okay.

* * *

They rode down to the garage in silence and the ride to the safe house was accomplished the same way. Jason noticed that Elizabeth had closed her eyes once they left the city. He wasn't worried about her knowing where this building was located, but he was guessing she didn't want that information in her head.

Getting out of the SUV Liz got a nasty jolt. This cabin looked exactly like the one that she had been held in. It kind of made sense. The guys would want a building that didn't draw attention, the one story cabin in front of them would fit that bill. And being out here in the middle of nowhere the exterior would become weather beaten giving it that slightly abandoned feel.

"Elizabeth." Jason stepped into her line of vision and waited until she looked up at him. She had stopped cold and now her breathing was accelerated. In her big blue eyes he saw fear and he wanted to kick himself. He should have realized bringing her out here would pull up bad memories.

"I'm okay." She said pulling herself back to the moment. It wasn't exactly true at the moment, but later it would be. "Cabin camping isn't going to happen."

Jason nodded. "Not a problem, we own a tent." He knew that she wasn't really okay, and he also knew she wasn't going to let this momentary jolt stop her. Tonight they were staying at the gatehouse with Emily and John. Spending time with his sister would be good for his girlfriend. In fact Elizabeth was going there right from here.

"Let's go." Liz wanted to get this over with so she could go shower. Her skin was crawling.

Paulie was on the door and he opened it so that the small group could enter the building. Ms. Webber looked like she was ready to kick someone's ass and Jason was a blank slate which didn't bode well for Smith. "Mr. Alcazar is inside." The guard passed along.

"Thank you." Jason said without breaking stride. He had gotten a message from Francis already with that information.

Elizabeth however stopped in surprise when she saw the arm's dealer. "Lorenzo." She knew him well through Skye. Liz and Jason's older sister were becoming good friends and had been hoping for a better relationship between the two organizations. So if anything positive came out of this whole situation it was that Sonny and Lorenzo were in the same room without glaring at one another. Liz refused to say her relationship with Jason came out of this because they were moving forward on their own anyway.

"Liz." Lorenzo nodded to the small women. "I have a gift for you from Skye in my car. We won't be at brunch tomorrow, because we are leaving for Portugal. Thank you for the invitation, we'd like to get together when we return." He was meeting with another organization head. The trip had been planned for almost a month. He was worried that Zander's death might happen while he was away and he would miss it.

"Skye told me about the trip." Liz was using this short conversation to relax some. She didn't want to just snap on Zander. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten to her that much. "Thank her for the gift, and thank you as well."

"We wanted you to know we are happy for your success." Lorenzo liked Liz he just had kept their interactions in the past brief. With things between him and Skye going well, and his new alliance with Corinthos/Morgan that would change. He would get to know both Liz and Emily better.

"Welcome back." She turned her attention to Johnny.

"Thanks." He said giving her a wide grin. She was pissed, he was hoping she clocked Zander with her ring. "Congrats on all the fun stuff you did while I was gone."

Liz gave him a grin. She had a surprise for him at brunch tomorrow. "Thanks. It's been a good week. What's with the bandage?" He had white gauze at the base of his left hand.

"Zander bit me." Johnny let annoyance come into his eyes. "Which will explain the state he's in. I got it looked at." That would be her next question. He had also been assured that there wouldn't be a scar.

"Not something I knew about him." Liz said grinning at Francis, Sonny, and Cody who were also in attendance. They were waiting for her to say they could get started. "I'm ready." In fact she wanted to do this and leave. Emily was waiting with chocolate ice cream. It would be a fun late night treat and then they were going to bed. Her best friend wanted to fuss over her some, and Liz was going to just going to soak up the love.

"I'll go get him." Cody went into the back and opened the locked door. It was almost exactly the same setup as the cabin where Liz had been kept. Only they had removed the bed and chairs making it so their prisoner had nowhere to get comfortable. Stretching out, or sitting on the floor, was an option but since it was concrete that wouldn't feel very good. "Let's go." The former solider tilted his head in the direction of the front of the cabin. "You have a visitor."

"Is that your new title for Jason?" Zander had thought for sure he was going to slip through their grasp. He had been in Canada that first night. He didn't stay in Toronto because Alcazar had contacts there. Vancouver wasn't somewhere his boss had connections. He had no idea if Corinthos/Morgan had friends in the area, but with the water so close he was willing to risk it. Once he left North America he would be almost impossible to find. Only he never even got close to the ferry station. He was spotted by the tracker not long after he crossed into the region. His tail simply followed him until the grab could take place. Zander had been turned over to the family that controlled the area and held in a warehouse. When he was pulled from the room he was locked in O'Brien was waiting to bring him back to Port Charles. No amount of struggling had stopped them from boarding the waiting plane.

Cody didn't say anything else, he just waited for the prisoner to get moving.

* * *

While Zander had been expecting Jason, seeing Liz was surprising. She was pissed too. He'd seen that face a lot after sleeping with Gia. He'd also seen that face the night Logan snatched her. She promised to kick his ass and his was thinking she came out to make good on that. "Liz."

"Why?" She wanted to know. There wouldn't be any small talk or chit chat. She was here for answers and that was it. Jason had told her what Logan said. The dead man confessed that he did it for a quick payout, but that her ex-boyfriend did it to push her and Jason together. Liz wasn't buying it.

"It won't make sense." Zander had no choice but to be honest with himself while he was on the run. This whole situation had been wrong from the time he answered the phone and listened to Logan's plan. Instead of calling Liz and warning her, Zander had stupidly gone along with the other man. Because he had seen a chance to look better in Liz's eyes, even though he had denied that at first.

"Try me." She said and her voice was ice cold.

"I thought it might help you and Jason get together." Zander told her. "I could see the attraction, and I figured you weren't with him because of me."

"Bullshit." Liz said staring him down. He was lying. She knew the signs. "You're about to die Zander, so now is a good time to be honest."

He just looked at her for a moment. Morgan hadn't said anything just yet. He was leaning against the wall waiting for his girlfriend to be done. O'Brien was also here, which wasn't too surprising. The Irishman had knocked out three of Zander's teeth during the capture, and he was probably hoping to get in a few more licks. Corelli, Corinthos, Paul, and Alcazar were just here to witness him die. This was not how Zander saw himself going out. The least he could do was give Liz the truth.

"Alright. I wanted to use the situation to my advantage. I was hoping that I could ride in and play the hero before Morgan did." Zander looked her in the eye while answering. "Only when Logan arrived at the cabin I saw that you were tied up and gagged, and I came out of hiding. I was only there because I didn't want him to hurt you." He should have stayed in his apartment. "Even after you saw me I thought about going back to get you."

"You didn't want me hurt, but kidnapping me was fine." Liz said through gritted teeth. Her temper was spiking, so she took a moment to calm down. "So if I had walked in under my own power you would have stayed hidden and left after I was locked up. To do what Zander?!" Her voice was starting to rise. "To come back later, overpower Logan, and rescue me!" She was standing in front of him with her fists clenched tight. "He was after ransom, there was no way he was going to let you take me back until he got paid." She said in disgust. "And thinking that I was going to develop Stockholm Syndrome and get back together with you after I knew you were involved…I just can't even." Because that's what he was talking about.

"I didn't know about the money." Zander wanted her to believe him. "Logan said he was doing it so I would owe him a favor."

"Were you always this stupid and I just missed it?" Liz wanted to know. "Did you think that if you rescued me I was just going to fall back in love with you?" She asked him. "You betrayed me! You slept with someone I thought was my friend! I told you we were over, and the fact that I was still avoiding you should have let you know that hadn't changed. You setting up a rescue wasn't going to change anything."

"I realized that too late." Zander admitted. "If I could go back I would have stopped to think before agreeing to his plan. I would have called you and told you what he was planning to do. This wasn't about helping you and Jason. It was me being selfish. This was all about what I wanted, and I didn't care about how this would affect you."

"Because your telling me was the right thing to do, or because you were hoping that I would see you protecting me?" Liz wanted to know. In any other situation she might actually feel bad for him that he still had feeling for her when she had nothing but contempt for him. That compassion was crushed under the weight of what he had done.

"Probably both." Zander said with a shrug. "I never gave up on us, and I don't think I ever would have. Not completely."

"I gave up on us. If you care about me as much as you are standing there saying you do, if you wanted me happy, then you would have respected that. You would have wished me a happy life and let me go." Liz spit out. She didn't believe Zander wanted her to be with Jason. She did however believe all the parts where he talked about using the kidnapping to get her back. He wasn't going to be one percent honest with her, he didn't have that in him. She had enough answers to be satisfied.

"Elizabeth..." Zander didn't get any further.

She balled up her fist and slammed it into the middle of his face. The silence in the room meant that everyone could hear the cartilage snap as she broke his nose. Without a word she turned on her heel and walked out of the cabin. Liz was done here. Jason would handle Zander and she would continue working to put this behind her.

* * *

Max didn't say anything he just walked out behind Liz. He found her leaning against the car. Still not speaking he opened the front passenger door so that she could get inside. He started the car using the remote and turned on the radio the same way. With her door closed he walked to the back and grabbed the first aid kit. Then Max got behind the wheel. "Here's an ice pack. Can you move your fingers?"

"Yeah." Liz raised her hand and wiggled it. "Hurts a little though. I'll probably bruise." She took the ice pack. "Think Jason will take me back to Puerto Rico?" She asked with a brightness that was completely fake.

"After that punch, he'd be an idiot to get on your bad side." Max said grinning. "Fifteen minutes on, and then fifteen minutes off. Then back on again." He said in case she didn't know.

Liz nodded. "Thank you."

Max nodded as well, and pulled off.

* * *

Jason waited until he heard the car pull off before pushing from the wall where he had been leaning. Generally when they had someone out here they needed a different kind of information then what Elizabeth's questions had uncovered. Generally when someone was out here they had information that would keep the organization safe. Elizabeth had needed answers to the questions she asked. She also needed closure. She never got that with Baker.

Jason only had one question. It was never his intention to ask it when Elizabeth was in the room. Since she was gone, he could get this last bit of information and then he could dispatch Zander. "What were you going to do when you showed up to free Elizabeth and she didn't want to go with you?" He could see the answer in Zander's eyes before the man spoke. "If things had gone according to your original planning Elizabeth wouldn't have ever returned to Port Charles would she? You wanted to rescue her from her kidnapper, only to then kidnap her yourself."

"I figured after enough time together, she could fall in love with me again. Once she knew she wasn't going home she would have adjusted. She wouldn't have had any choice. I had no intention of letting her go." Zander was hurting and he figured he was about to really learn what pain was all about.

Jason gave him a cold smile. "Logan had no clue did he? You had this planned from the second he presented you with an opening, even letting Elizabeth see you. What were you going to do Zander? Go back and kill Logan then tell Elizabeth that you were sorry. Offer her a ride back to Port Charles but then drive in the opposite direction."

"Logan wasn't the threat he thought he was. But he would have made the perfect scape goat. It doesn't matter what I wanted at this point, does it? I didn't get it in the end. She's with you." Zander was trying to brace himself for the first punch. His mouth hurt from Johnny, and his nose from Liz. Jason was going to lay claim to everything else.

"No I guess it doesn't." Jason pulled on a pair of gloves. "It doesn't matter at all." He said before throwing the first punch.

* * *

"How come you aren't asleep?" Jason asked walking into the gatehouse. It was almost two in the morning.

"I was waiting for you." Liz was curled up on the couch with the television turned down low so she didn't disturb Em and John. Her best friend had been waiting for her. They didn't speak at first, just ate their ice cream. Once the frozen treat was gone the silence lingered for a bit. Then Liz let herself have a good cry. Sometimes you got things from your best friend, from the sister of your heart that you couldn't get from your guy. Emily would understand her anger in a way Jason didn't. Just like the guys understood some things the way Liz couldn't.

Looking at her he could see that she had been crying. If she wanted to talk about that they could. If she didn't want to talk then they wouldn't. "This is the gift that Lorenzo mentioned." Jason put the box that was under his arm down on the coffee table.

"It's heavy." Liz noted picking it up. "Come on, let's go to our room."

"I'll carry it up." Jason took it from her because it did have some weight to it.

"We are down here." Liz pointed over her shoulder. "Emily thinks you will glare at John if you are in the hall upstairs at the same time." Elizabeth said smiling.

"I promised not to glare." Jason mumbled following his girlfriend into the guest suite. He put the box down on the bed. "I'm going to go shower." He had grabbed a quick shower at the cabin, but wanted to hurry back to Elizabeth.

"Can I join you?" Liz wanted to be close to him.

"Sure." Jason held out his hand.

"Will you be disappointed if only showering happens?" Elizabeth asked him as they entered the smaller room. She had been debating if she wanted to ask Jason what Zander's plan really was. Seeing her guy she decided no. It was time to let that go.

"I'll never be disappointed to have you close to me." Jason used their joined hands to bring her near and dropped his head to kiss her. "Not ever."

"Come on, I'll scrub your back." Liz said when he lifted his head. "I'll rub your shoulders too."

"I am a little sore." Jason would be fine in the morning, but right now his shoulders were stiffening up.

"I have some pain reliever." Liz let him know. "Don't be too proud to admit that you need some." She said arching a brow.

"Okay." Jason would take the pills because that would make her feel better. "I'll get some water." There would be glasses in the bathroom and he would fill one up.

Liz went over and grabbed her purse.

* * *

"Are you going to open the box?" Jason wanted to know. The shower had felt amazing, and so had her hands on his skin.

"Don't tell me you are curious about its contents." Liz looked up at him through her lashes. They were stretched out on the bed. Since they were going to brunch sleeping in was not going to be a problem.

"A little." He said with a boyish grin. "I just can't imagine what Lorenzo would give you. He barely knows you."

"Probably nothing. I'd bet the money in my wallet that Skye picked the gift and he just signed the card." Liz said laughing. "Kind of like what you do when I buy birthday gifts for Nadine and Georgie. Sometimes even Carly."

"Women are hard to shop for. Luckily I have this really talented girlfriend who makes beautiful clothing. So when I have to buy a gift by myself it not too painful." Jason said with a smile. "Monica always looks forward to my gifts."

"You are lucky aren't you?" Liz poked fun at him, and laughing as she sat up.

"I'll get it." Jason rolled off the bed and grabbed the box. He placed it on her lap.

"This paper is lovely." Liz said taking in the detailing of the wrapping. She pulled the yellow ribbon surrounding the box before lifting the lid. She was greeted with yellow tissue paper on which rested a card. "Congratulations on all your success. We know that you will have much more in the years to come." Liz read the message in Skye's graceful handwriting. "P.S. you don't have to use this if you don't want to, I just thought you might need it."

"Cryptic." Jason commented on his sister's words. "Maybe it's a cash register." He said making a joke.

"I do need one. I'm going to ask Sonny where he got the ones for the coffee house." She said laughing at the joke. Liz pushed the wrapping paper aside. "Oh."

Jason was looking over her shoulder and he smiled when the gift came into view. His sister had scooped him because he was planning on having something similar made.

Liz lightly ran a finger around the edge of the hanging sign. It was metal, but stylized to look like wood. That meant it would be weatherproof. The background was white and in the middle were large letters in gold leaf. Audrey March was in graceful feminine script. "This is amazing." Liz said softly.

"Cody's crew can put a bar out for you to hang that from." Jason knew that wouldn't be a problem.

"I'll ask on Monday." Liz wasn't doing business during brunch. She looked at the sign closer and gasped.

"What?" Jason looked concerned.

"The letters." Liz said trying to blink back tears and failing. "That's my gram's handwriting."

"Really?" Jason wasn't surprised that Skye would go into that much detail.

"I'm guessing Lila helped her." Liz said smiling as she traced the letters. Jason's grandmother would have cards with samples of the handwriting. "I have so much support. Starting with you." She turned to her guy. "I love you."

"I love you." Jason took the box and put it on the trunk at the foot of the bed. "Let's get some rest so we can party. We need energy to keep up with Grandmother." He spooned up and turned off the lights.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	27. Chapter 27

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 27

"Another of your dresses?" Jason wanted to know when his girlfriend came out of the bathroom.

"Yup. That's kind of the theme for the weekend." Liz said with a small smile. "Normally I'm not that egotistical, but I felt like that's how it should be."

"I like this one. What's the color?" Jason was watching her. Last night, or early this morning, had been rough. Elizabeth had a couple nightmares, but there hadn't been any screaming. She had settled down and gotten some sleep but he was thinking there would be napping later today.

"Peach." Liz didn't own much in this color, but when she did her spring/summer line last year the hue had been sprinkled throughout the collection. This was a perfect day dress for summer brunch. The garment had thin spaghetti straps and white crocheted lace along the hem. She had on her favorite white wedges along with her jewelry to finish the look.

"You look good in it." Jason walked over and kissed her shoulder.

"I'm enjoying your outfit too." Liz smiled wider as their eyes connected in the mirror she was standing in front of. "A dress shirt with jeans is a good look for you." His shirt was black and open at the throat.

Jason kissed the side of her neck before saying anything. This was a level of dressing up he didn't mind. So it wouldn't be painful to add button down shirts to his wardrobe and wearing one a couple of times a week. What would make it a really easy transition was that his girlfriend didn't need the change. "We don't have to stay very long."

She turned in his arms and gave him a smirk. "Lila is hosting everyone to celebrate my new boutique. So leaving early would be rude."

"My grandmother adores you. If you want to leave ten minutes after arriving she would let you." Jason pointed out.

"That's because I'm irresistible." Liz said before laughing.

"You are." Jason agreed before kissing her lips. "That was why I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with you."

She couldn't help but blush as her heart filled. He so effortlessly gave her every part of himself. "I love you too. I keep trying to find the words to let you know how much, and I keep failing. So I'm doing my best to show you so that you feel it."

"I do feel it." He didn't know she was worrying about that. "Every day, all the time, I feel how much you love me. In big ways like you dropping everything to take care of me when I'm hurt. Or smaller ways when you remind me to eat lunch. You spoil me." Jason said grinning. "I've never had anyone do that before."

"Have I ruined you for anyone else?" Liz liked hearing that he knew how much he meant to her.

"Totally." Jason kissed her again. "We should go." He was very much aware of the bed that was behind them.

"Yes we should." Liz leaned up and kissed him. "You gotta let me go so I can grab our bag."

Jason reached over and snagged the garment bag that Elizabeth carried into the gatehouse last night when Max dropped her off. "What else do we need?"

Liz laughed out loud and gave him another kiss. "You're going to be a handful."

"Which means you should stay close to keep me out of trouble." Jason said with a wicked grin.

"Shameless." Liz tried to come across annoyed and failed miserably. "Let's go, your grandmother is waiting for us." Even though it sucked she stepped back and out of his arms. If she didn't then they would miss brunch. That wasn't an option because of the surprise she had planned. "Let's go."

"Okay." Jason said following her to the bedroom door. "This afternoon it's you and me in the penthouse with no one else."

"Deal." Liz said before opening the door to their room. It was time to go hang out with their friends.

* * *

"Hi!" Liz smiled at Carly who was on Emily's phone. "How is London?"

"Fabulous!" Carly responded smiling wide. "If I didn't have you guys back in Port Charles I would seriously consider moving here full time." AJ loved the European capital and they came at least four times a year. Generally they didn't stay as long as they would this time. The doctors didn't want Carly flying until they got a better handle on her blood pressure issues, Dr. Meadows was in full agreement. So they would be in England until she got the all clear.

"When are you guys coming home?" Liz wanted to know.

Carly was laughing too hard to answer because Nadine was standing behind Liz making faces. "We should be back in time for the grand opening of your shop! Congrats!" She was proud of her friend. She had offered Elizabeth space in the hotel last year, but she had said no thank you. Liz turned Carly down because the rent would be too much and the designer wouldn't accept a discount. Carly got the need to do something on your own, however she had wanted to lock Liz in a closet until she changed her mind.

"Thanks." Liz said smiling. "Work starts tomorrow. I'm going to try to not drive by every day."

"I know that feeling." Carly nodded knowingly. "At least with the hotel I have a reason to be there on a daily basis. So I have to make myself stay out of the work areas." Normally that would be hard, but with the baby to think of Carly was behaving herself. "Emily said you got something new that I needed to see."

"Believe me I wasn't going to let this call end without me showing you this." Liz put her hand in front of the phone.

"Yes!" Carly said doing a happy dance. Since she was on her computer she had to get up. "When is the wedding?"

"Slow your roll missy." Liz was laughing at her friend. "This is not an engagement ring. This is Jason wanting me to know that he loves me ring."

"He said the words?" Carly said sitting back down. Jason had yet to say those three words to any woman he wasn't related to. Nor had he ever given any of his exes a ring.

"He has." Liz assured her friend.

"Okay. I can wait for a wedding then. I'll be sure to take my vitamins so I can wrestle Emily for the matron of honor position." Carly said with a huge grin.

"Emily would be a maid of honor." Liz said mainly to irritate her friend.

"She'll be a lovely bridesmaid." Carly replied as a comeback. "I'm really happy for both of you. I know this is what that both of you have wanted for a while now. We'll celebrate when AJ and I get home." She said getting serious for a moment.

"Thanks. The timing was what it needed to be. Even though we were driving you guys crazy." Liz ended on a laugh.

"Who else can I talk to?" Carly wanted to catch up with her friends and the time change meant she was going to have to go soon. They were going to a friend's country estate for dinner. She needed to get ready, and then they had a one hour drive.

"Hold on." Liz looked around and spotted Georgie. "Carly."

"Thanks." Georgie said smiling at their friend.

* * *

Liz walked over to where Jason was sitting. "Did you reach him?" Sonny wasn't here yet and the guys didn't know why. He wasn't answering his phone, and Ritchie kept saying that the mob boss was still in the house.

"Yes." Jason stretched out his legs and when he sat back up he snagged his girlfriend pulling her onto his lap. "He said something came up and he is heading over now."

"If you need to handle some business its fine." Liz wanted him to know.

Jason looked at the clock. It was twelve-thirty and brunch had been going on for almost an hour now. His partner was one of the reasons the blonde mob boss was so aware of the time. Sonny was never late for things. The other reason was that that Elizabeth's parents were not here yet. For some reason Edward was upset with the Drs. Webber. Jason knew his grandfather was trying to hide that from Elizabeth. "He said it was personal and that he would explain when he got here."

"You think something is wrong?" Liz ran her arm up and down her boyfriend's arm. He was a little tense.

"Something is up for sure." Jason said giving her a smile. "I don't think it's anything bad though. If he was in trouble he would say something."

"I agree with that statement. He would come to you if he was in trouble." Liz leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "Is he still picking up Alexis?" The attorney wasn't here either. Sonny had offered to bring her.

"I would assume so, since he volunteered and she isn't already here." Jason looked at his girlfriend. "If he was having a personal problem he might have wanted to talk about it with Alexis. To get advice. I didn't ask Ritchie if she was over at Greystone."

"Ms. Liz?" Alice came into the room. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Hi Alice." Liz really liked Lila's housekeeper/companion. She just wished the woman wouldn't call her Ms.

"You have a visitor." The housekeeper really liked Ms. Liz, and she was glad that it looked like she was sticking around.

"Thank you." Liz knew who that was. "Do me a favor please?"

"Sure." Jason didn't know that Elizabeth had invited anyone to brunch. He knew she would have cleared it with his grandmother first.

"Go get Johnny and drag him into the foyer." Liz said standing up. "Thanks." She gave Jason another kiss and walked from the parlor. "Hi."

"Hi." Karen said smiling. "Thanks for the invite, and the upcoming introduction."

"You're welcome on both accounts." Liz had dressed Karen for his meet and greet. Johnny's favorite color was blue, so that was what she put the model in. Liz looked over her shoulder and saw the guys coming this way. "Here he comes." The two ladies stood there smiling.

"Ladies." Johnny said stopping suddenly. Surprising him was hard, really hard. It was one of Francis's ongoing missions in life to surprise Johnny. So far only Jason had managed to pull it off. Now Liz could add her name to the list.

"Johnny, this is Karen Wexler. Karen, this is Johnny O'Brien. Now I'm going to go." Liz said extracting herself from the conversation. She grabbed Jason's hand and pulled him into the parlor. "Let's give them a minute."

"Did you see Johnny's face?" Jason asked laughing. "You didn't tell him she was coming?" His friend's face said that much.

Liz just gave her guy an angelic smile.

"I'm going to have to watch you." Jason wished he had snapped a picture of Johnny's face.

"Enjoy the view." Liz said walking over to where the ladies were sitting.

* * *

"Hi." Johnny said recovering his balance. "It's nice to meet you." Suddenly he felt a little like a perv. He couldn't say that he saw her on the site and thought she was hot. Standing here in front of him with less makeup on he thought she was stunning.

"It's nice to meet you as well." Karen shook the hand he extended. "Liz has said some really nice things about you." When Elizabeth offered to make the introductions Karen didn't hesitate to say yes.

"I'll have to thank her for that." Johnny said grinning. "She hasn't told me a thing about you. Wait that's not true, she told me a little, none of which included that you were coming today."

Karen gave him a smile. "Liz mentioned to me that she told you who my ex was. We don't have contact anymore so Jagger should not be showing up and trying to get you to back off." Her knee to the cheating man's groin had been her parting comment. The few calls he made to try to explain she had simply let go to voicemail before deleting them. "I've seen you around. Mostly at Kelly's."

"I must need my vision checked because I don't remember seeing you." Johnny let her know.

"I didn't go in." Karen admitted trying not to blush. "I looked a mess."

"I doubt that's possible." Johnny said flirting. She was confident in herself because she was maintaining eye contact during their conversation. He also got that she was nervous meeting him. Whether that was because she was worried about getting her heart broken again, or because of who he worked for Johnny wasn't sure. Whatever the root cause, he hoped to put her at ease soon.

Karen just smiled wider. She liked a guy who took the time to flirt. Johnny worked for Sonny and Jason, and really all she knew about them was what Stone used to say. Plus what Liz currently said. Which was all good things. So despite what people said about them Karen was going to let Johnny prove whether or not he was a good guy.

"Liz also mentioned that you started college recently. After that she didn't say anything else." Johnny wanted it clear what they had talked about.

"I did. I think I may go for a degree in nursing. Maybe I'll become a nurse practitioner." Karen wasn't sure yet. "I've also been looking into maybe becoming a forensic nurse."

"Both are good professions. My friend's fiancée is a nurse practitioner. She's in the parlor. I can introduce you, after I show you the buffet." Johnny said being a good host.

"Okay." Karen knew it was early yet, but she had a good feeling about Johnny O'Brien.

"Right this way." Johnny escorted Karen to the dining room. He would make sure they stayed around everyone else so that she felt safe, but he was hoping to snag a private corner for them to continue this conversation.

* * *

"Okay, spill it." Jason looked at the three people who were in a huddle.

"Spill what?" Monica wanted to know.

"I've been watching him." Jason pointed to his grandfather. "He's been watching Elizabeth. Now the three of you are huddled together all shooting looks at my girlfriend. What's up? And does it have anything to do with her parents not being here yet?" It was just past one now.

"What makes you think that this has anything to do with Jeff and Carolyn?" Alan said trying to keep a blank face.

"Because I'm better at this than you are." Jason said point blank. "Where are they?"

"They should be coming at some point." Edward wasn't going to try to bluff Jason. "I imagine close to when brunch is wrapping up. They won't want a lot of Elizabeth's friends here."

"Why?" Jason wanted to know.

"I can't tell you." Edward really hated that. "It's tied up in hospital board business." Which meant he had to stay silent until the official announcement tomorrow. "What I will say."

"Father." Alan didn't want the hospital to get sued.

"What I will say is don't let her talk to them alone." Edward wasn't going to be stopped.

"I don't particularly like them and I'm guessing that isn't going to change after today." Jason said pinching his nose. His brain was trying to find a clue in what Edward had just said. How would hospital business upset Elizabeth? Unless one of her parents was being terminated for doing something inappropriate. That could also make them want less witnesses. "Thank you for the warning."

Edward just nodded. "Sonny and Alexis are here."

Jason turned and just blinked in surprise. The silence that was settling over the room said that everyone else had noticed the late arrivals as well. A very slow smile started to spread over his face and he looked over at his girlfriend who shook her head no. Meaning she had no idea. Since no one else was moving Jason did. "Congratulations." He said sticking out his hand.

"Thanks." Sonny said shaking it.

Liz walked over as well, she was temporarily hosting because Lila was out of the room. "Hi. Congratulations." She gave out hugs to Sonny and Alexis. "When is the baby due?"

"Five months." Alexis said placing her hand on her stomach. This was what had caused them to be late. She had woken up this morning with bump that nothing in her wardrobe would hide. In the baby books they described how in some women this happened. Alexis knew that they couldn't hide this forever, and they had been planning on having everyone over this weekend to share the news. Only the belly beat them to it. "I had a wardrobe crisis."

"Liz is a designer, she probably could have helped you with that." Diane called out from across the room. She hadn't even suspected that a baby was the reason Alexis had been feeling poorly.

"Elizabeth doesn't make maternity clothes." Alexis shot her partner a look. Diane was going to have a lot of fun with this over the next few days. Alexis and Sonny had done everything they could to not let anyone know they were seeing one another. Enduro had failed and now they were going to be parents. Alexis was going to strangle her nephew when she saw him again. Cassadine Industries should have issued the recall sooner. Fortunately she and Sonny were in a good place, so this baby was bringing them even closer instead of causing them stress.

"Both of you are good?" Elizabeth steered her friend to the couch to get her off her feet.

"The first semester was a little rough, but we managed." Alexis looked at all the smiles. Everyone was happy for them. "We wanted to wait until I cleared the twelve week mark to make the announcement. We also wanted you and Jason home."

"Why didn't you say anything on Friday?" Diane wanted to know.

"Because that was Liz and Jason's night." Alexis wasn't stealing anyone's thunder. "We were planning something for this week. We still are because today is about Elizabeth's new boutique."

"Yeah because we are just going to ignore the bump." Cody said with a smirk. They were going to leave Alexis alone, but Sonny was another story. Looking at his boss the enforcer could see that the older man already realized that.

Sonny just shook his head. "If Alexis says ignore the bump. Then ignore the bump." That was for the guys. There was no way the ladies were going to listen. "Who is Johnny's friend?" She looked vaguely familiar.

"Karen Wexler." Johnny said making the introductions.

"Stone talked about you." Sonny shook her hand.

"I can say the same. Thank you for being so good to him." Karen knew that Jagger never said those words even though he should have.

"He was family." Sonny said letting the topic drop. "I'll fix you a plate." He told Alexis.

"Start with dessert." Alexis said grinning. She was craving sweet things and Sonny was driving her nuts with his healthy meal plans.

"Congrats, we need a due date, so we can start planning a shower." Emily said getting out her phone and pulling up the calendar.

* * *

"Can I talk to you?" Sonny asked since his girlfriend was busy.

"Sure." Jason followed his friend to the patio. Francis, Johnny, Cody, and Max invited themselves along. "Want me to send them back inside?" Jason wanted to know.

"It's fine. They might be able to help." Sonny was fighting off a blush as he made his confession. "I've been trying to get Alexis to marry me since the stick turned blue. She keeps saying no."

"Did you ask before the stick turned blue?" Jason immediately saw what the problem was, and he was guessing that Sonny knew it as well.

"No. I know she thinks this is about the baby, and part of it is. I want my child to grow up in home with two parents. I love her. I said that before the baby, so she knows it." Sonny explained his position. "I wouldn't marry her if I didn't love her."

"How long have you two been seeing one another anyway?" Johnny wanted to know. He had completely missed this pairing.

"Six months before the baby." Sonny grinned, they had managed to keep their relationship in the dark for half a year. "Alexis didn't want to deal with the press. I agreed. Living my life in the spot light has not worked out so well for me in the past. I was ready for a mature and adult relationship." He looked at his friends. "I don't want to mess this up. Alexis is the one."

"Wait until the baby is born." Francis told his boss. "Not right after." Because that was what Sonny would do. "Maybe not until your child's first birthday."

"I don't want to wait a year." Sonny said frowning.

"Between now and then make Alexis your priority along with the baby." Johnny told Sonny. "Your actions will show that she isn't just an obligation. Show her you want to get married."

"Just don't lose your temper." Jason warned his partner. "You still occasionally have a hard time with the word no. Pushing is going to make her resist more. Your girlfriend is stubborn." He said grinning. "Which you know because she won't marry you."

"Is she still living at the Metro Court?" Alexis didn't want a unit in the Towers and now they could all guess why. She probably would have felt like a kept woman.

"Not as of this morning. I got her to agree to move into Greystone." Sonny told them. "She's also getting a guard. I figured Milo." Right now the youngest Giambetti brother wasn't assigned to anyone.

Jason shook his head. "Johnny. Alexis is pregnant so she gets an enforcer. After the baby is born we can discuss switching him and Milo." They wanted to send a clear message that Alexis was not just Sonny's mistress.

"We get along well." O'Brien would be fine with this assignment. "Cody should be with Jason then."

Again Jason shook his head. "No. Cody needs to be with Sonny. As a boss you should have had an enforcer as protection before now. Milo will be with me, until the baby is born."

"What about Ritchie?" Sonny wasn't going to argue with Jason, but he didn't want to insult his long time guard either. Ritchie was outstanding at his job.

"I'll put Ritchie with Emily." Jason knew that was still a very high profile assignment, and one the guard would be excellent at. He also knew that Ritchie wasn't going to be upset. The guys didn't take these assignments personally, because Cody made it clear that they could change at a moment's notice. The former solider actually liked moving the guys around because it kept them sharp. "It's time to officially promote Marco."

"I hate to point this out, but you are a boss as well." Francis said with a grin. "So by your own logic you should have an enforcer with you."

"I was an enforcer." Jason explained why he didn't really need Johnny or Cody. "Sonny never was." It was no slight to his partner. It was just that Jason had skills Sonny didn't. "Milo is an excellent guard. So it's not like I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. I had Milo on my short mental list to guard Elizabeth until Johnny suggested Max." Jason looked at the big guard. "You were on the list with your brother." He wanted him to know.

"I get it." Max didn't need his ego stroked. "But thanks." He did appreciate knowing Jason respected him.

"Thanks for the advice." Sonny was grateful for his friends. "I need to make sure my girlfriend is eating her vegetables." He said walking into the parlor.

"This is going to be fun." Johnny said smiling wide.

"Yup." Jason agreed laughing as they went back inside.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	28. Chapter 28

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 28

"Thank you for allowing me to have brunch here Mrs. Q." Liz leaned over and kissed the older woman's soft cheek. The subtle scent of roses lingered faintly on Jason's grandmother's skin. Not from lotion or soap, but from many years of working with the flowers.

"You are very welcome my dear. I'm so very proud of your accomplishments. Thank you for the lovely scarf." Liz had brought it over as a hostess gift.

"You're welcome." Liz had been inspired by the roses in the garden. That scarf was going to be in the fall collection.

"I think from this point forward you should call me grandmother." Lila knew that Elizabeth wouldn't use her first name even if invited. The younger woman would see that as rude.

"Do you mind?" Liz looked over at Emily. Her friend's face cleared up from the thunder clouds that were gathering. Liz knew what that was all about and gave Em props for not going off on a rant before now.

"I think that is an excellent idea." Emily grinned as her mood lifted some. She still wanted to kick ass though.

"Thank you. I accept." Liz didn't need to ask Jason, who was standing behind her. Nor did she need to turn to know he was smiling. "I'll check with AJ when he gets home." She just wanted to be respectful.

"He won't mind." Lila would kick his butt herself if he said anything negative. However since she knew he liked Elizabeth very much, and that AJ had been thrilled about the ring the butt kicking would not be necessary.

"You can call me grandfather." Edward beamed at the younger woman.

"That means you can't flirt with her anymore." Jason said with a slight glare.

"It means no such thing." Edward's response came with an unrepentant grin.

"We should go." Liz said trying not to laugh. She gave Edward a kiss to the cheek before hugging her best friend. "Stop scowling. It causes wrinkles."

"Not gonna happen." Emily said hugging her friend hard. "They didn't even call to say they weren't coming."

"Nor did they RSVP to say that they were." Liz looked at it another way.

"Don't make excuses for them." Emily said planting her hands on her hips. While yes her brother was going to bring this up, she could push a bit more than he could without causing a fight. When dealing with the parents, or family in general, of your significant other you couldn't always say what was on your mind.

John's dad and sister were both bat shit crazy, something he knew. That's why he was here in Port Charles under Corinthos/Morgan's protection. It was also why Maximus told Anthony and Claudia to stay out of New York altogether. If they violated that decree what happened would be on them. They had both tried to kill John once already, they weren't getting another shot. Even with that knowledge between them, Em would never just come out and say those words.

"I'm not." Liz just shrugged. She was hurt, but she was also used to this. It was her gram who never missed a recital or a school play. Her parents always put their careers first. So this was just how things were. Since her gram's passing it was her friends, and now Jason, who made sure to show up for the important parts of her life.

"Do they even know about the boutique, or the ring and the house?" Emily wanted to know.

"Babe." John said trying to get her to back down some.

"It's fine." Liz told John. This was Em in protective mode. Liz felt so loved at the moment. "They know I was buying a building, and they know about the move. I did talk to them while I was away. Just like I talked to you." Liz was going to leave out that the calls to her parents were a lot shorter than her calls to Em and the gals. "They don't know about the ring because I wanted to surprise everyone with it. I'll call them when we get home." Where Jason would make his opinion on the matter known. "I'll mention the ring then, they will probably invite me to lunch next week." Liz said with a shrug.

"Ms. Liz." Alice walked into the parlor. "You have more visitors." The housekeeper didn't think that this was going to end as well as the last visitor had. The young lady that Ms. Liz invited over had been a pleasure and she had left with Mr. Johnny to go get coffee. She would be a welcomed back. These new visitors probably not so much.

Liz looked over at Jason. "I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you." Jason remembered what his grandfather said earlier. Alice's reaction let them know who was in the foyer.

She started to object but stopped. He wanted to make sure she was going to be okay, and Liz was going to let him. She was guessing the visitors were her parents, and she was also guessing that they deliberately waited until brunch was over to show up. There was no other reason to be four hours late. So she was already bracing herself to hear something she didn't want to.

"Can I come too?" Emily wanted to glare at them.

"No." Jason said kissing his sister's forehead. "Keep her here." He told John, who just nodded. "Come on." He said linking his fingers with Elizabeth's. He would stay silent because she had this, but he wanted her parents to see that their daughter actually mattered to someone. He knew that Audrey had been vocal about the fact that she felt they often put their careers in front of their child. Which had caused a small breach in the family.

Liz smiled at him as they walked into the foyer where she saw that prediction was correct. Her parents had finally arrived. The question of how they knew she was still here briefly crossed her mind and was pushed aside. "Mom, dad." She smiled at them. They weren't overly touchy so hugging and kissing didn't happen a lot. Her parents loved her, she just wasn't always sure that they really wanted her. "Coffee?"

"No thank you." Jeff said looking at his daughter. Even though he didn't show it he was feeling guilt about missing the brunch. Honestly guilt had been a constant hallmark of his life since becoming a parent. Elizabeth hadn't been expected, but neither he nor Carolyn even considered terminating the pregnancy. They just didn't know what to do with a child, and that really showed at times. The worst part was that they never really learned from their mistakes. He could admit that even while knowing they had screwed up again today.

"We had no intention of missing brunch." Carolyn told her daughter. Time had gotten away from them as they handled all things. However once again they had put Elizabeth behind their careers. The fact that she was an adult and no longer a child, didn't make it any better. What had Carolyn feeling worse was knowing their daughter was going to be thrilled for them when they shared why they were absent. "We have news to share which will help explain what we were doing."

"What's that?" Elizabeth genuinely wanted to know. She had settled into an acquaintanceship with her parents. Not the friendship she had hoped for as an adult. They didn't even have the once a week family meal that the Quartermaines held to make sure the family stayed connected as much as possible. It wasn't until he saw her relationship with her parents that Jason started to really make an effort to do better with his.

"Your mother and I have joined International Relief." Jeff told his daughter.

"Really? Congratulations!" Liz was thrilled for them. She knew that this was something that had been a goal of theirs for years. "When did you get the news?"

"While we were in Denver." Carolyn smiled at Elizabeth. "The holdup was that your father and I want to be in the same location. Two doctors, another married couple, retired from a clinic which created an opening for us."

"Where are you going?" Liz wanted to know.

"Africa." Jeff wouldn't have chosen that as his ideal location, but it was where the agency was sending them. Since they were so new, they didn't get to complain about placement.

* * *

Jason was standing next to Elizabeth listening to the conversation and trying to hold his tongue. He had no idea why Jeff and Carolyn were the focus of this conversation. The brunch they had missed was held in their daughter's honor so they should be congratulating Elizabeth on her success. Instead they had walked in four hours late and made themselves the center of everything. They could have come over and invited their daughter to lunch, tomorrow, instead of stepping on her moment.

"What?" Jason asked coming back to the conversation. "What did you just say?" He demanded of Jeff.

Elizabeth's father blinked at the look on Jason's face. He knew the reputation of the man his daughter was dating, and of Jason's friends. Jeff was also fairly certain that Monica's youngest son was not his biggest fan. But Jason hadn't ever said anything. Probably to not upset Elizabeth. That streak appeared to be ending.

Liz started to talk Jason down, but realized it wasn't going to happen. She understood why he was upset. What her father had just said was pretty shocking. It was also the height of selfishness. Even for them this was bad. The biggest moments of her personal and professional lives were coming up and they wouldn't be here to see them. Looking at her boyfriend Liz admitted that it felt amazing that he never hesitated to stand up for her. Jason always had her back, just like she always had his.

"The agency needs us right away. The couple that is retiring is only staying for four weeks. In order to have them train us, and to introduce us to the villages we will be serving. Carolyn and I need to leave immediately." Jeff repeated himself.

"We spent the day making travel arrangements as well as meeting with the realtor to put the house on the market." Carolyn could also see that Jason was upset. It was all the silence from her daughter that was the most troubling though. "Elizabeth I'm sure you understand why we need to leave right away."

"Of course I understand." Liz said nodding. "I understand that being doctors always came first for you, and being parents was a distant second. My needs never came before your careers. I called you from Puerto Rico to say that I was buying a boutique that I was expecting to open before the summer was out. I called you the day we returned home and told you I was buying a house. I got the same 'that's lovely sweetie' from both of you for both calls. It's the same tone I've been hearing my entire life. The one that signifies that you were only half listening, because whatever was going on in my life wasn't as important as what was happening in yours."

"Elizabeth there are children who need us. They won't have access to medical care if we don't go." Jeff tried that approach.

"You had to wait years for them to have space for you." Liz said as she blew his excuse out of the water. "I'm one hundred percent positive that your names were not the only ones on the waiting list. Those children would not be going without medical care if you stayed here." International Relief had a stellar reputation, and they literally had their pick of doctors.

"Your grandmother used to give us that same look." Carolyn said feeling defensive. She always felt judged by Audrey.

"That's because you always made the same decision. The one that made me a non-priority. The one where you did surgery instead of watching me play the sun in my second grade play. Or where you had to go to conference to network instead of attending my fourteenth birthday ice skating party. Or the one where you left my graduation from college early to go check on a patient. And of course you always did those things together, so if one left so did the other." Liz explained to them. Gram made the face out of anger, for Elizabeth it was more a matter of exasperation. All these years later and nothing had changed.

"You said you understood." Carolyn reminded her daughter.

"I did. I still do." Liz assured her mother. "I understand that I don't measure up when it comes to what you feel deserves your time. I never did. Your job is something I just can't compete with. Growing up it would have hurt more if I didn't have Gram. She was always there. Now Emily is, and more importantly Jason is. So honestly, I don't need you to be there when my store opens or when I move into my house. The people who have always supported me will witness those moments, and that's how it should be. You being there stopped mattering years ago." Liz wasn't trying to be mean, she was just being honest. "Have a nice flight, stay safe, and I hope this job is everything you hoped it is. I know how it feels to have a dream come true." Liz let them know. "I also know how it feels to have people in my life who are genuinely happy for my success, which is why I can be happy for yours."

She wasn't going to let them go with bitterness. Life was too short. She didn't need to carry that. They would always be her parents, and at some point they would return from Africa. Maybe after the time apart they could learn to appreciate one another more, and have a better relationship. She would like that. At the same time she understood that it wouldn't break her if that didn't turn out to be the case. They might not ever be close, but she would always love them.

"Elizabeth we never intentionally tried to make you feel less." Jeff wanted her to know, and he wasn't going to dispute anything she said. They had deserved those words. He was just amazed that she didn't say them with anger. That was his mother's influence.

There were so many ways she could respond to that, but Gram had taught her that sometimes silence was the wisest course of action. Instead she gave her parents a small smile as she nodded. That was as close to as an apology as they would probably ever come. "I'm sure you have a lot to do since you are leaving this week." It was time for them to go.

"We do." Carolyn got that they had outstayed their welcome. "We'd like to put you down as our emergency contact on our paperwork."

"That will be fine." Liz told her mother. "You have the number, if it changes I'll contact the agency." They stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Liz walked over and opened the door. "I'm glad I got to see you before you left." If it wasn't for this brunch they probably would have just done this over the phone.

"Jason." Jeff said before escorting his wife to the door. They both kissed Liz's check before leaving the mansion. Honestly he was happy to go, he wasn't sure how much longer Jason could hold out. Jeff had the feeling the blonde had some things to say.

Liz closed the door and looked over at her guy. She had rushed her parents out because Jason was on the brink of exploding. "I'm okay."

"I don't get how those two raised you." Jason said just shaking his head. "They didn't even say congratulations."

"They didn't raise me. Not really. That was my gram. From early on she was always there. Even though she never said it I think how my parents treated me was why she retired from nursing. Gram loved her job, which was why she went back to the hospital when I was in high school. Teaching the student nurses meant that she could be home in time to make me dinner and listen to my day. By the time I was in tenth grade I was practically living with her. I did move in when I went to college." Her grandmother's house was closer to campus. Liz had stayed at the house until she got her first apartment. While her grandmother didn't live to see her graduate from college, Audrey knew what Liz was majoring in.

Jason gently lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. He was looking for signs of hurt or pain. His girl had a soft heart, and her parents had just trampled all over it. However all he saw was acceptance of the situation.

"I didn't lie when I said I didn't need them to be here for what's coming. I do need you though." Liz said stretching up and kissing him softly. "You are the most important person in my life. As long as I have your love and support then I'm good. Actually I'm better than good, I'm great. Fantastic. Amazing." She said giggling.

"You are the amazing one." Jason wanted her to know what he saw. "And so strong."

"Keep going." Liz said smiling. "I'm enjoying your adoration." His lips were covering hers when the parlor door opened. Looking over she saw Emily walk into the foyer, her friend turned and nodded which brought out the rest of the family.

"It got quiet." Emily said looking at the embracing couple. "Did you kill them?"

"I don't think we could manage clean up that fast." Liz said before laughing.

"Alice is very competent." Lila said grinning. Not eavesdropping on the conversation had been hard. They weren't being nosey, they wanted to make sure Elizabeth was okay.

"I believe that." Liz laughed and leaned into Jason. "They left after I suggested they do so. Grandfather I guess you know what they had to say?"

Edward just nodded. "I tried to think of a way to warn you. The only thing I could come up with was to tell Jason to stay close."

"What's going on?" Emily wanted to know. "Grandfather keeps saying its board business."

"It is." Liz nodded and watched Emily frown. "However I'm not on the hospital board so I can tell you since my parents told me. They are leaving, to go work for International Relief. By the end of the week, possibly sooner, they will be gone." Liz was guessing they were going to push up their departure to avoid any awkward run-ins.

"Wait, what?" Emily looked between her brother and her best friend. "They are leaving? What about your boutique. They aren't going to stay and see you open your store?"

"Not even a blip on their radar." Liz said shrugging. "We all know that deep down they think my job doesn't really measure up. I'm not a doctor, so what I do isn't important. Which is fine because it's not their life, its mine. I'm happy. I'll still be happy whether they are here or in Africa."

"You are way nicer than I am." Emily said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I know." Liz walked over and hugged her friend. "Thank you, for accepting me as I am. It makes having them as parents much easier to bear."

"I'm just trying to help fill the space Audrey left. I can't replace her." Emily squeezed her friend tight. "But I can be a kick ass cheerleader, and always be in your corner."

"You do that really well." Liz told her friend. "Okay, now that the little bit of drama is over, Jason and I are going to go." Another round of hugs and kisses were exchanged.

"Elizabeth I want you to know that you can look on the mansion as another home." Monica told her son's girlfriend. She had always adored Liz.

"Thanks Monica." Liz said hugging the surgeon. "Good luck in the upcoming selections." As the current Chief of Surgery she was in a good position to replace Jeff. Her biggest competition was probably going to be her husband, who she had beat out for the position she now held. Liz and Jason would be supporting both his parents equally. Monica gave her a smile as a response.

"Come on, we are already past curfew." Liz told Jason. They had a date with the couch and their streaming service. They were still catching up on their shows that they didn't watch while in Puerto Rico.

* * *

He helped her into the car and then got behind the wheel. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"No. At least not right now." Liz said leaning back in her chair. "This might sound cold, but I was more upset when Em went away to London for a year of college. Being without her for a whole year was hard."

"It doesn't sound cold. You feel what you feel." Jason understood why his girlfriend had two very different reactions.

"Let's talk about something fun. Like the new baby." Liz said smiling wide. "Did you know about Sonny and Alexis?"

"Not a single clue." Jason said with half-smile. "When we were away Johnny went on a mini, really mini, rant about Sonny being stupid where Alexis was concerned. I was joking that maybe they were taking things slowly like we had been doing. That maybe there was more to their relationship than it seemed. I guess I was right. Did she mention marriage?" Jason wanted to know.

"Alexis shared that Sonny has proposed several times. She didn't give us an exact number." Liz passed along. "She also thinks those proposals are all about the baby."

"He's in love with her." Jason told his girlfriend. While they were talking he was keeping an eye on her. For the next few days he would watch a bit more closely to make sure she didn't need anything extra from him. He also knew without asking that he had permission to share this with the rest of the crew. Which would come with a warning to leave the Drs. Webber alone. The temptation to glare at them had to be resisted. Thankfully their time left in the harbor town was short.

"She's in love with him. Once they get out of their own way they'll be fine. I don't think they will get married until after the baby comes though. Alexis has dug in on that one." Liz told her guy. "I'm going to be an aunt, I'm super excited."

"Are you going to make children's clothes?" Jason wanted to know.

"Nope." Liz didn't hesitate to answer. "That isn't something I have any interest in mass producing. Zero." She said to be clear. "The only children I will make things for are my own. That's a tradition I'd like to continue." They had discussed children before, and both had admitted to wanting a family. They hadn't ever discussed having children with one another which made sense because they weren't in a relationship before.

"Will I get some say in how the kids are dressed, or are we leaving that all to you?" Jason asked laughing.

"You will have veto power, unless we have girls." Liz said giving him a look. "You'll want to cover them from their neck to their toes."

"That's not true." Jason turned into the garage. "I just won't let them shop with Emily."

"I make a lot of Emily's clothes." Liz reminded him.

"I know my sister has her hemlines raised." Jason said with a smile. The clothes were perfect the way they were when she bought them."

"You get a kiss for that." Liz leaned over and did just that. "Let's go upstairs the couch is calling me." She was ready for some just them time.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	29. Chapter 29

ABC/DISNEY own GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 29

"Hey baby." Jason was in his office at Corinthos/Morgan's headquarters. Cody had just stuck his head in the quiet space not even a minute ago to pass along a message. The blonde mob boss immediately picked up the phone to make this call.

"This is a nice surprise." Liz tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder while she looked at her computer. She had spent the morning on her website doing some maintenance and making some changes. The fall/winter collection photographs had been uploaded and the items were now available for purchase. The remaining items from her spring/summer collection were put on sale. It still made her laugh that in July it was time to start buying sweaters. Most importantly she needed to make an announcement. She now had an official grand opening date for her boutique. Cody had told her it was fine to let everyone know because the work being done now was just cosmetic. "Couldn't wait until lunch to talk to me?" She teased him some. They were meeting at Kelly's.

"You did mention being irresistible." He said laughing. "Actually I was calling to see if you would be okay with changing our lunch plans." Jason wanted to know. "I'd like to take you somewhere else."

"I'll go anywhere with you, which you should already know." Liz understood without him saying anything that the location of this lunch would not be forthcoming.

"I like hearing that." Jason got reminders every day of just how much she trusted him. "Can I come pick you up now?"

Liz looked over at the clock and calculated the time. "How about if you leave your office in twenty minutes. I have some things I need to finish up on the website before I can leave."

"Twenty minutes it is." Jason wouldn't rush her if she was working. "If you aren't ready when I get there I can hang out with Max."

"Are we taking a long lunch?" Liz was thinking yes.

"Unless you have afternoon appointments you shouldn't count on returning to your office." Jason let her know.

"No appointments all day." Liz replied smiling. Since there was now a good chance she wouldn't be back on her computer until they were home she needed to make sure everything looked good. Namely that she had gotten all the prices correct, and that the right description was with the right image. "Is it possible for me to push back the time you leave by ten minutes, if I'm not coming back?"

"It sure is." Jason knew that he was disrupting her work day. He also knew that spontaneous drop everything days couldn't happen too often. When he wanted to whisk her away he needed to do it around the time she finished a collection. That was when she had the largest block of free time. It shouldn't be an issue to match his schedule to hers.

"Thanks." Liz appreciated that he respected her work. "See you when you get here. I love you."

"I love you too." Jason said before hanging up. He just needed to handle one more piece of business before he could head out. The "normal" business hours that he was working these days were nice. It felt good to have something in his life other than the business. Even with past girlfriends he didn't feel the need to leave work quickly. With Elizabeth he started watching the clock around four so that he wouldn't leave any later than necessary. "Angie can you please bring me the paperwork from Duke." Once this was handled Jason was shutting it down for the day.

* * *

"Okay, I'm ready." Liz said coming into the waiting area where Jason and Max were watching television. She had one delivered the day after they got back from Puerto Rico. If Max was going to hang out he should at least be entertained. He said it wasn't necessary, but she insisted it was. She would set up an area like this for him at the new building. "Sorry you had to wait."

"Did you figure out what the issue was?" Jason wanted to know. Elizabeth said that she was having trouble with the sales count on a couple of items. She needed to review the payment account to see what had actually sold.

"Yeah." Liz said slipping on her jacket and trying not to blush. They were going to be on the bike.

"If your computer program has a serious malfunction I can have Stan or Spinelli look at it." Jason knew they wouldn't mind. He watched her pink up. "What?" As he watched a lop-sided smile came to her face.

"I thought that I had done something to cause the sale count to come across incorrectly." Liz told him. "But after reviewing the electronic inventory I realized the numbers were right."

"And?" Jason was still missing something.

"I sold out of two my faux wrap dresses already." Liz had introduced the garment in five solid colors and two prints as part of the corporate line. Although the dress would be great at a party or on a date night. "I put them on the site not even six hours ago." She was going to need to reorder that item. Unable to resist Liz had looked at the shipping labels that were automatically generated when a sale was completed and realized none of the dresses were going to anyone in Port Charles. Her friends hadn't been responsible for the run on the dress.

"Congratulations." Jason pulled her into a hug. Selling out of clothes was not anything new these days, but this had to be a new record.

"They are going to be busy at the warehouse shipping department." Liz grinned as she locked up. Two years ago when she started increasing the number of items produced she needed more room to store her inventory and Sonny leased her one of his smaller warehouse. She had deliberately gone to him because Jason would want to just give it to her. Hiring staff had meant dipping into the inheritance that Gram left her, but Liz was able to replace that money within one calendar year. A steady but controlled growth had been the key to success for the Audrey March label.

"You'll be ready for a bigger warehouse soon." Jason said as he mounted the bike and put on his helmet.

"Probably not. With the extra floor at the boutique I should be able to use part of that as storage." They set off, doing the speed limit since they were still in the city.

"At some point you will need dedicated office space." Jason explained to her. He wasn't lecturing, because Elizabeth was smart when it came to her business. He was just sharing what he had learned. "Having somewhere quiet to work on the bureaucratic side of the business is a good thing. Plus at some point you'll need an assistant and a public relations person to handle advertising."

"I'm not there yet, but I see what you mean. I need to sit down and create a new three year plan." Liz was in the middle of her current one, but with such big changes taking place a reassessment would be smart. "I can either get a new warehouse. Or I can get dedicated office space away from both the store and the warehouse. Somewhere for staff to work."

"Edward owns some nice brownstones." Jason knew his grandfather would be thrilled to help. In Port Charles it wasn't uncommon for the iconic New York buildings to be converted into business headquarters. Diane had the walls knocked out between four such structures to create her law firm.

Liz just laughed. "I'm sure he'll be anxious to take my money." Which wasn't at all true. She remembered him glaring at Sonny when he learned that she was renting the warehouse. Liz had to tell Edward to stop because he was making the mob boss feel bad.

Then Jason's grandfather took her for a walk in the garden and gave her some advice. That in business it wasn't always what you knew but who you knew. And what those people could do for you. Now that she had come so far on her, it might be time to start letting those folks that cared about her to help. Within limits. She didn't want them thinking they had to take care of her. She refused to be another Ava. Sonny bought Deception so the other woman could stay busy. Nope, not going down that path. A discount on a warehouse was great, and a lower price on brownstone was too. When she was ready. Right now she needed to build up the coffers before any more expanding took place.

They got on the highway and she realized they were heading over to Crimson Point, which probably meant to the house. Over the past month they had been spending more time in the town they were going to call home. Going to dinner in local restaurants, and occasionally out to a movie. Jason selected the exit that took them down Main Street and then turned heading toward their private road.

Unlike the boutique, Liz had been out to the house since construction began. She wasn't a frequent visitor but a couple of times she had to come out to make decisions. Since she was on the site she had gotten a tour. They should be nearing the end of the remodel. The completion date on the contract was next week, somehow she doubted Cody's guys would be late.

They pulled up the guard station and Jason briefly spoke with the guys on duty. The station had been manned since construction started. Once she knew about this addition Liz had been adamant about a few things. The guards had to have basic things like heat in the winter, and air conditioning in the summer. She wasn't having the men who would be keeping her safe uncomfortable. She also wanted them to have a water cooler, a small refrigerator for snacks, and they had to have access to a bathroom.

Jason didn't argue, he just made it happen. Solar panels were a big help with the new station, since he was buying them anyway Cody suggested adding them to the house. When he and Nadine bought a place together the former solider was installing some before they moved in. After the plans were drawn up Jason mentioned to his girl that both Sonny's house and the Corelli home were making the same upgrades. Elizabeth was now the favorite person among the entire guard staff.

After the quick check in they rolled through the gates of the house, up the drive, and into the garage. It was as they were dismounting that she noticed Max was no longer with them. "Is Max down with the guards?"

"No." Jason replied as they secured their helmets. When they walked out he used the remote on his keys to close the garage. There was no direct access to the house from the outdoor space. "I told him that I would call either him or Milo when we are ready to leave."

"We're going to be here for a while?" Liz asked looking around. There weren't any trucks in the area which meant the crew wasn't on the grounds. They could having a late lunch, but her instincts were saying that wasn't the case. With a smile she looked over at her guy. "The construction is complete."

"It is. They finished up yesterday. Cody told me this morning, and gave me the new keys." Jason reached into the pocket of his leather jacket to get the ring. "He asked us to do a walk through, and to make a list of anything that isn't to your standards."

"I'm sure everything is just as it should be." Liz left impressed with the work each time she came out. It made her more excited to see the boutique.

They walked to the front door and before he opened it he looked over. "We will be living here, so I want everything to be just how you want it. Okay isn't going to cut it. So if you don't like something speak up. No one will think you are a diva, or a perfectionist if you want a wall repainted. Everyone who worked on the house takes pride in what they do and part of that is knowing their customers are satisfied." Jason wanted her happy.

"Thank you. Changes will happen, when we live day to day with things we'll learn what works and what doesn't. Those issues will need to be addressed. Smaller changes will happen as well. I may want to put up borders, or swap out bathroom fixtures both of which I can do by myself. As long as the big pieces work, like the oven or bathtub, I'm not going to sweat the small stuff." She said giving him a kiss. "Now open the door before I die from curiosity."

With a smile he did. He picked her up and carried her into the house. "The alarm is off right now, we need to reset it before we leave." He still had her in his arms as they looked around. The floors had been the last thing the crew did and they gleamed as they peeked out from under the runner that went down the main hall. "The floor looks great."

"It does." Liz nodded her approval. Jason put her down and they removed their jackets, putting them in the closet by the door. "Can we go see the kitchen?" It was one of the most important rooms in the house so she wanted to see that first. Along the way they peeked into some of the other main floor rooms. Some were partially furnished because she had been shopping off and on since the work started. A smile as bright as the sun filled room lit up her face when they stepped into the kitchen.

"There's a gift bag on the island." Jason said walking over. "It's from Cody."

Further exploration of the space would happen shortly. Liz reached in and removed the card. "Congratulations and welcome to your new home. We hope everything is as you wanted it. Should there be any complaints or corrections needed please do not hesitate to call. P.S. Yes, all my customers get cards and a housewarming gift." She finished laughing. Looking into the bag she laughed a little harder. "It's a tin of cocoa powder. A huge tin."

"That's from the coffee shop." Jason told her. Knowing Cody he paid for it even though Sonny wouldn't care. The executive staff got unlimited free coffee, which included beans. Requesting a tin of the cocoa powder would fall under the same category. "He didn't leave anything for me?" Jason asked to be difficult.

Liz looked in the bag and extracted a note. "Jason, your gift is in the refrigerator so stop pouting."

"Smartass." Jason walked over and open the large appliance. Elizabeth had gone with black stainless steel which Jason hadn't even realized existed. She and Sonny had a two hour conversation about the style during a dinner over his house. He was a fan, but not enough to remodel his kitchen. "Beer." The blonde mob boss said grinning. "Cody's smartassery is forgiven."

"It's good to know I don't have to shop for you now." Liz told her boyfriend.

"There's no coffee, so we need to shop." Jason said completely serious. "We aren't staying here tonight, so there is no rush. When we move in there will be coffee." Liz promised him. "There is more house to explore."

"There is." Jason said following her into the hall.

* * *

They walked through the entire house, stopping in each room to inspect the work. To say they were pleased would be an understatement. The crew had done an amazing job on every aspect of the remodel. No matter how small the detail it got their best. She was betting that Paul Construction carried these high standards over to jobs that weren't for Corinthos/Morgan.

"I didn't realize you had gotten so much furniture." Jason would have gone along to the design center with her.

"The fact that we still have so many empty rooms makes that statement very funny." She said as they walked down the upstairs hall. Downstairs the only rooms completely furnished were the dining room and the living room. The family room was getting the furniture that was currently in the penthouse living room so she didn't shop for that space. None of what for now would be guest bedrooms had furniture either, but they did stop in to look at the work.

"Thank you for the new pool table." Jason hadn't expected that.

"Johnny went with me to pick it out." Liz had appreciated the help. She could hold her own in a game of pool, even occasionally beating Jason, but she really didn't know much about the tables or cues. "He kept me from getting the blue table." It was really pretty.

"I'll have to thank him for that." Jason would have had to find a way to tell his girlfriend the table had to go if she had picked one up. Pool tables, at least his, had to be green.

"Let's check out the third floor." Liz decided as they passed the stairway leading up. Up here it was still empty. She hadn't yet decided what this space would be since the gym was in the basement. She was considering a temporary office while she was setting up the boutique. "That view is amazing." She said looking out the panoramic windows.

"It's a lot of green." Jason come over and wrapped his arms around her.

She leaned back against him. "It's relaxing. Maybe I'll do yoga up here until I figure out what to do with the space."

"Why don't you keep this area for yourself?" Jason was enjoying having her close. "I know you'll use the gym, but the rest of the basement is basically a man cave." That was an area that was almost completely furnished. She had turned it into a giant game room where he and the guys were going to have fun. "You should have a space where you can just come and relax."

"I'll consider it." Liz leaned up and kissed his jaw. "There is one space left to look at." She was saving it for last intentionally.

"Our bedroom." Jason said smiling. He was looking forward to all the time they were going to spend there. "Lead the way."

She linked their fingers as they went down the stairs. "I haven't come in here during any of my visits."

"Me either." Jason wanted to wait to see it with her.

She opened the door and they stepped into what would be their private refuge. The first thing you saw when you walked in was the small sitting area she created. They were going to spend a lot of time curled up there watching movies. To the left was the sleeping portion of the room. She had gotten them a new bedroom set with a California King Sleigh bed.

"There's furniture in here." Jason hadn't realized that.

"I thought a new bedroom set was the perfect way to celebrate our new house." Liz let him know.

"I think that a new bed needs to be celebrated." Jason said while bobbing his eyebrows up and down.

"You have the best ideas." Liz said grabbing his belt and pulling him closer. That was why she had wanted to come to this room last. She was hoping the bed would inspire him. His lips covered hers as she hooked her arms around his neck. When she felt his hands on her bottom she prepared herself to be lifted off her feet.

Jason groaned when her legs wrapped around his waist. He was looking forward to feeling that again when they were both naked. Since he didn't know the layout of the room he was forced to take his lips off of hers to walk over to the bed. Tripping and falling wasn't going to happen. "This is a very tall bed." Jason said when he was standing beside it. The top of the mattress was almost at his hips.

Liz had her lips on his neck since they were free. She nodded before kissing his jaw. "We are on your side of the bed. On my side I have a small step that I can pull out. I know you thought your other bed was too low."

There it was, more proof that his happiness was essential to hers. "Thank you." He said giving her a soft kiss.

"You're welcome." Liz bit her lower lip as their eyes connected.

He laid her across the mattress and stood back up. Reaching for her feet he took off her boots and socks. Her eyes were on him as he pulled his shirt over his head. He opened his belt before snapping the top button on his jeans and lowering the zipper. He was already hard so the extra room felt good. His eyes were on hers as he toed off his boots and socks. With his feet free the jeans were pushed off leaving him in his shorts. He let a wicked grin come to his lips as the boxer briefs went as well leaving him totally naked. "Like what you see?" Her eyes were darker now.

"Mmm-hmm." Liz hummed and nodded as she took in all him that she could see. The plan had been to move to the edge of the bed and roll to her stomach so she could take that rigid column of flesh into her mouth. Seeing him standing there hard for her definitely had Liz aching. Her plans were interrupted by his hand on her ankle.

He knew what her intention was and while it would feel great, it wasn't what he had in mind. Using her ankle he pulled her closer as his free hand opened her jeans. "Lift up." When her hips lifted he grabbed the waist band of her pants and underwear pulling them both down at the same time. The material was tossed aside as she removed her top and bra. Leaning over he came close enough that he could feel her breath on his skin. "You are so sexy, do you know that?" He was looking up at her through his lashes. "Sometimes I just look at you and try to figure out how the hell I was fortunate enough to even get your attention. Now you are wearing my ring, and we are moving into this house together. If I could dream I would worry that this was one, since I can't I know this is my real life. Which makes me really lucky."

Liz was blown away by the words he was giving her. She went to respond but his lips came over hers and she got the silent message that he didn't want her to say anything. He just wanted her to accept the gift of his words. Her fingers speared into his hair because she needed to be touching him. She had to pull her lips away to pull in air when his body joined with hers.

"I love you Elizabeth." Jason whispered against her ear as his body stroked into hers. "I will always love you."

She wrapped her legs around his waist just as she had earlier letting him slide deeper inside her body until it felt like he was moving at the very center of her being. "I love you Jason. For all my life I will love you." She had tears in her eyes because what they created moved her so much.

They rocked together until they both exploded in bliss. After loving one another they cuddled close, not speaking but just being with each other. Jason kissed her temple and smiled. He was home, in every way possible and he knew Elizabeth was as well.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	30. Chapter 30

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 30

"Hi, come in." Liz stepped back so that their guest could enter. It took four days but the house was finally set up to her liking. It wasn't that she was overly fussy, it was that it took a few days of seeing how things looked to find out what worked and what didn't. Particularly since she now lived with someone else. It was important that Jason felt comfortable in their home as well.

"Thanks." Georgie replied stepping into the foyer with Milo behind her. "This house is something else." This was her first time out here. "It makes me think of a dollhouse as we were coming up the drive."

"It funny you said that." Liz closed the door and escorted her friends deeper into the house. "I had one based on this house when I was little. Gram had it made for me."

"Now you live here." Georgie said taking in the details. The fact that they hadn't purchased all new things to furnish the place wasn't surprising, in fact she really liked it. The familiar pieces gave an instant feeling of home.

"Yeah, I do." Liz was still wrapping her head around that. "We're out back. Wait until you see the pool area. Jason designed it with the landscaper." She was so proud of that.

"How?" Milo wanted to know. "Jason can't picture things in his head. He also can't see images on paper." Which would make it hard to describe what he wanted to the landscaper.

"We have enough friends with patios that he was able to piece together what he wanted that section of the yard to look like." Liz explained as they entered the kitchen. He had taken pictures of what he liked and didn't like from everyone's backyards. If he hadn't then he and the contractor would have both ended up frustrated.

The pool was going to be a great party space in the warmer months since the outdoor kitchen was connected to it. It was just a few steps away from the veranda. "It's going to be one of the most popular spaces on the property in the summer and early fall." She and Jason had gone to the design center to furnish the area together. It was a fun trip filled with laughter.

"I am really loving this kitchen." Georgie said looking around. She and Milo had decided to wait for a bit before buying a house. It was just a level of responsibility they decided they didn't want at the moment. With him now on Jason's crew her boyfriend was moving into the high rise here in Crimson Pointe. They had upgraded from a two bedroom to a three bedroom which gave them plenty of pace. That was more than enough for now.

"The boss said we can redecorate our new unit if we want." Milo let her know. He definitely wanted to paint, white walls didn't work for him. Whatever changes Georgie wanted to make would happen too.

"The building was just redone." Georgie looked over at her guy. "The units are very nice. I'm mostly looking for ideas about décor." She had been looking online and in magazines trying to figure out how she wanted their place to look. Her things were mixed with Milo's, but a good many pieces would not be making the move.

"I can be talked into giving you a tour." Liz said with a laugh. "It won't be hard." She had already done several this afternoon. "Come on out." She said getting back into hostess mode.

* * *

"Hey!" Emily waved from one of the outdoor seating area. She, Nadine, Diane, and Alexis had staked claim to it. The guys were spread out between a second seating area and the grill where Jason was cooking.

Milo gave his girl a kiss before going to join the guys. He would put their housewarming gift on the table with the other boxes first. Liz said not to get anything and it looked like everyone ignored her.

Georgie walked over and took the empty spot next to Nadine. "This house is spectacular." The newly minted lawyer stated. Her bar results were in and they were celebrated with her own office, as well as her own stack of cases.

"It certainly is. It's perfect for them." Emily was so happy for her brother and best friend. "Have you gotten the full tour?"

"Not yet, but Liz said to give a holler if I wanted one." Georgie would do so before they left. Liz had gone back into the house for the moment. "Are we all here?"

"Yup." Emily told her friend. "They are keeping it small." Looking at the door she smiled. "I was wrong, we have another addition."

All the ladies grinned as Liz walked out with Karen, they all smiled wider when Johnny got up and gave her a kiss. "That looks to be going well." Georgie commented, she didn't know Karen well yet.

"How come he didn't bring her?" Nadine wanted to know. The guys were sticklers for coming to get their ladies, if they didn't live together, when they went out.

"Johnny came over early to help Jason put the grill together." Alexis had the answer. "Sonny came over early too, because of the side dishes. I came with him so I didn't get the chance to raid the treat jar at home." He wasn't letting her out of his sight much. The tactic backfired because Liz snuck over a brownie while Sonny was cooking. "Johnny was on the phone with Karen asking if she wanted him to come get her, but she said that she would come over later."

"Is everything not going well?" Diane didn't know Johnny's new girlfriend at all. So far they had only been at one brunch together, where they hadn't crossed paths. Diane's work hours were to blame.

"It's going fine as far as I know." Emily told them. "Not that I've spent a lot of time talking to Johnny lately. Liz hasn't mentioned anything being off and she would probably know." She looked at her friends. "I wonder if Karen is feeling awkward because we are all so close and she's new to the group."

"I can see it." Nadine told her friends. "I was the new girl at one point, and I used to dread when we all got together. I remember once ending up in a ball on the floor of my closet with tears streaming down my face from trying to figure out what to wear." Having a talented designer in the group was intimidating for Nadine who was very much a blue jean girl. She had also felt like a country bumpkin trying to fit in with the city girls.

"We aren't that mean." Emily had no idea that Nadine had felt that way.

The nurse practitioner laughed. "You aren't mean at all." She told her friends. "It's just intimidating being the new one in an established group."

"Let's be honest here." Diane looked at the other ladies. "We are judging her. Mainly because Johnny is family and we want to make sure she's good enough for him. Karen did come with a stellar recommendation. Having Liz bring her into our group helps tremendously. Still Karen has to prove herself worthy. You may not want to admit that your inner Regina George popped up during brunch, but I don't have that problem." The attorney ended with a smile.

"Is your Regina George still in charge?" Georgie wanted to know.

"Not at the moment because Johnny is smiling." Diane told her friends. "But she will certainly come out if Karen breaks his heart."

"You mean like with Siobhan?" Nadine asked snickering.

"She had that coming." Alexis said from her lounger. "She stomped all over Johnny."

As a unit the ladies had made Siobhan's life really hard after the breakup. Not because she and Johnny ended, relationships sometimes just didn't make it. They all knew that. Siobhan knew who Johnny was when they started going out, but when they broke up she threw his job in his face as the reason she was leaving. Going so far as to say that she was embarrassed to be seen out with him. The ladies were not going to let that stand.

They had started with ostracizing her. Literally pretending she didn't exist. They had also used their various connections to make her stay in Port Charles uncomfortable. It was Diane however who pulled out the big guns by having Siobhan deported. The Irish woman had been transferred over by her company so she was in the country on a work visa. Diane had a friend in INS who owed her a favor, he happily revoked that visa to clear up the debt.

"Karen may also be uncomfortable because of what her ex tried to do to Sonny." Georgie pointed out.

"They were broken up when Jagger tried to entrap Sonny." Emily pointed out. "That isn't on Karen." Jagger had pretended he was a dirty cop looking to feed information on what the department was doing to the organization. He was picked because of Stone's connection to the mob boss. Jagger had worn a wire to the meeting. The guys had been on to him from the start though because they already had a source inside the PCPD. The sting failed and Jagger left the area fearing retaliation. "That's like saying the end of my brother's relationship with Brenda is on Karen."

"It's kind of funny how many points of connection Karen already has within the group." Georgie told her friends.

"I remember Brenda talking about Karen. They didn't like one another." Emily told everyone. "I like Karen just for that reason." Emily had not been a Brenda fan even before the cheating. "We need to make Karen feel welcome." She looked at everyone who nodded. "Hi." Emily said brightly when Karen walked over. "Have a seat."

"Thanks." She sat on the long couch between Emily and Diane. "Sorry I'm late. I had a fashion crisis. Nothing was working. Every time I work with Liz I consider asking her to pay me in clothing."

"That would be living the dream." Nadine said nodding. "I would never have to shop again."

"I hate shopping, but I like to look good. It is a dilemma." Emily added with a smile. "Liz has us spoiled, letting us drop by her studio. However once she adds running the boutique to her list of duties that is going to stop." Her friend just wouldn't have time. No one faulted her for that.

"Why is there no personal shopping service in Port Charles?" Alexis wanted to know. "Whoever started one would make a mint."

"Speak for yourself. I only charge the rates I do so that I can shop. It's my form of therapy." Diane said bucking the trend. "Liz you should start a shopping service, since you already act as stylist to quite a lot of Port Charles's upper echelon. It's not that far of a leap to putting together an outfit and sending it to your clients."

"Nope, not gonna happen." Liz said shaking her head as she joined the group. "Not interested in going down that path. I'm not even close to being a stylist. Even when I custom make a garment I don't style the entire look. Accessories are something my clients need to get on their own. Karen, you might be good at that. You have really great style."

Karen looked over at her friend. "Fashion crisis." She brought up again.

"But you got dressed and left the house." Emily told the newest member of the group. "Looking rather cute too. So crisis averted."

"I thought you were looking into maybe becoming a nurse?" Nadine asked stretching out her legs. Johnny had asked if she would talk to Karen, but the model didn't call.

"It turns out I don't really like blood very much." Karen shrugged her shoulder. "So I don't think that's going to work out." Modeling for Liz was a great job, but Karen was realistic about the fact that she didn't have a future in the industry. She had started too late to really get a career going. She probably wouldn't ever work outside of Port Charles. She did need to find something to do with her life though. Money wasn't the issue at the moment. She had a small trust fund to pay the bills if necessary. Mainly she wanted her life to have direction. She didn't want a job, she wanted a career. "I could look into becoming a stylist. Liz is going to need someone to put together photo shoots and fashion shows when she becomes famous."

"You help me put together the looks on the website for the last two seasons." Liz pointed out.

"Liz will need help by then, but she doesn't need that help now." Georgie knew that her friend was going to be a household name at some point. "I, however, need more suits for work. Now that I've passed the bar I'm going to be going into court and I want to look snazzy. The problem is that squeezing shopping into my schedule is hard, even online shopping." The dress code at the office was business casual, but Diane mandated suits when they went before a judge and jury. "I'm a size four. Avoid anything super bright or with short hemlines, it's best to be conservative in court."

Karen blinked at Georgie. "Um, okay. I have no idea what to charge." Apparently she had her first client.

"You need to incorporate as well." Diane told the younger woman. "Come by my office Monday morning at eight. I'll tell Clarice you are expected. Since you are Johnny's girlfriend, I won't charge you to file the paperwork. If you do a good job with Georgie I'll drop your name to a few friends."

"If you do a good job with Georgie, I'll hire you." Alexis said going one step further. She liked to shop, and often did so with Diane. However these days she was tired most of the time, and rapidly changing clothing sizes. Someone shopping for her would be nice.

"Georgie we'll need to sit down before you leave so I can get a feel for your sense of style. Also things like your shoe size. We'll consider this a test run, I won't charge you because I don't know if I can actually do the job." Karen was thinking it wasn't as easy as it sounded.

"You don't have to buy things just from me." Liz told her friend. "In fact it's best if you don't. You should have a feel for what each designer does well so you know how to please your clients." She saw what the ladies were doing. They were bringing Karen into the fold so she didn't feel like an outsider.

"Client." Karen said with a grin. "I only have one. Or potentially one." She said smiling at Georgie.

"I'm easy to shop for, so this shouldn't be too stressful." Georgie didn't have time to be a diva.

"Ladies." Sonny walked over and smiled. He fussed over his pregnant girlfriend before turning back to the group. "Jason is done with the meat, so I'm going to start bringing out the sides." He had managed to not go overboard.

"I'll help you." Liz said getting to her feet. Earlier Sonny said that he didn't feel right just taking over her kitchen, so she had helped him finish off some of the dishes. They needed to be plated and bowled before hitting the table, so she would help with that too. "Everyone head over to the dining area, and grab a drink from the refrigerator." She hadn't even realized you could get one for outside. "I put out the platters while waiting for Georgie and Milo." Liz told Sonny.

"It won't take long to get everything ready." He said placing bowls on the island. "While we are doing this I want to talk to you about something."

"What's up?" Liz got out the serving spoons, forks, and tongs.

"I would like for you to consider opening Audrey March boutiques at the resorts." Sonny brought up the topic that he and Jason had discussed earlier when it was just them.

"Sonny." Liz started arching a brow.

"I'm not doing this because you are Jason's girlfriend." He stopped and grinned. "Okay that is part of the reason I am doing this. I'm also doing it because you're talented and you'll make me money." He grinned and his dimples put in an appearance.

"I'm not looking for a partner." Liz told him.

"I'm not looking to buy in. You'll have to rent the space from me. From us." Sonny said with a shrug. "Rent is guaranteed monthly income." She would pay until she married Jason, then as his wife she could have the space for free.

"I'm just about to open my first store which isn't guaranteed to make it." Liz pointed out. "I don't think I'm ready for chain status. I also don't have the inventory to fill three stores."

"Four. We just bought the resort in South America." Sonny figured Jason would have told her this soon. However it was the two of them discussing business right now and Sonny wanted Liz to have the full picture of what he was asking.

"I hadn't realized the sale was finalized." Liz smiled at her friend. "Congratulations. Jason showed me the prospectus, the property looks fantastic."

"You'll have to go and give me your opinion. I don't think Alexis and I will be traveling anytime soon." Sonny was excited about becoming a dad. Any trips between the birth and the baby being cleared to travel would be handled by Jason, Francis, or Johnny. "There is another spa you can check out. You can also get a feel for the space."

Liz just shook her head. The man was bulldog stubborn. "I'm not ready for a chain." She repeated what she said earlier.

"Yet." Sonny tacked on. "I can respect that. However I know your clothes will sell, because they are already selling. I want to get you locked into a deal before anyone else comes sniffing around." He could be ruthless in business. Liz was extremely marketable, and this deal let her keep all her profits which was how it should be. All he wanted was rent, and that was only because she wasn't going to take the space for free. "When you start looking to expand, you can do so at Corinthos Morgan resorts."

"Are you looking at me being exclusive with the resorts? As in no other stores anywhere but Port Charles and those properties." Liz wanted to know.

"No." Sonny shook his head before looking at her. "I would say no other stores in the cities within a certain radius of the resorts. So a shop in, say, Ponce would be fine but you couldn't have one in Dorado or San Juan." Both locations would take business from the resort.

"Could I have one in Sao Paulo?" Liz wanted to know. That was a city that was too big to walk away from. If she wanted to have a global presence that would be a great place to open up a shop.

"You could. The resort is far enough away that it wouldn't be in the specified radius." Plus they controlled Sao Paulo so her store would be under their protection. Sonny was done with the plating so he leaned on the island. "I have another proposition for you."

"Okay." Liz was done as well and moved to the sink to wash her hands. "I'd like to feature your clothes in the next Deception campaign."

"Shouldn't Elton make that call? He is your COO." At the moment Elton was running the company until another CEO was found. "Forcing me down his throat might not go over so well, and you don't want to lose him." Liz looked at her friend. That would be a huge coup for her. Deception didn't do small ad campaigns.

"It was actually his idea." Sonny let her know. "Elton doesn't know you and he thought if I asked there was a greater chance that you might say yes. If you agree then you would be dealing with him when it came to actually selecting the looks."

"He wanted you to ask. Like you are making me an offer I can't refuse." Liz couldn't help it, the quote was too perfect for the conversation.

Sonny just groaned. "That was so bad." Her timing was great though.

"I know. I couldn't resist." Liz was laughing. "Send me an offer."

"I'll have Alexis send the contract over to Diane tomorrow." Sonny wanted it clear that this was a business deal like Deception would have with any other designer. "It's already written up." Sonny grabbed a platter. "Think about the boutique offer. If you decide yes, we'll let Alexis and Diane hammer out the details."

"They will love that." Liz knew that her friends loved a good sparring session. Since they worked for partners it rarely happened. "Sonny?"

"Yeah." He stopped by the door.

"Thank you. For the offer, and the respect." Liz knew that he was going to treat her fairly during this business deal. Not because she was Jason's girlfriend, but because she had earned it.

"You're welcome." Sonny responded before stepping out into the backyard.

Alone she took a deep breath and really thought about the offer. She wasn't in a position to open three more shops yet. In fact when she was ready to expand again, it would be with just one shop. When she was running those smoothly then number three would be considered. And so on, and so on. The resorts would be good spots to sell her designs, so yeah she was going to think about Sonny's offer.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Jason asked coming inside to help bring out the rest of the food. He had expected his girl to come out a few minutes ago. When she didn't he came to check that everything was alright.

"Yeah. Sonny just made me two really great offers." Liz gave her guy a smile. She was guessing he didn't know about the Deception offer. Jason didn't involve himself in the running of the cosmetics company.

"Two?" Jason only knew about the one. "Can I ask about the second offer?" He would respect it if she didn't want to talk about it.

"Sonny wants to use some of my designs in the next Deception ad campaign. Its free press and I'm going to sign the contract when it comes." Liz let him know.

"Congratulations. I didn't ask him to do it." Jason wanted her to know.

"Even if you had, I would still have said yes. It's too big of an opportunity to let pass by." Liz let him know. Her clothes were going to be in ads that ran around the world. "I'll also read the proposal he's sending over concerning the resorts. Congrats by the way, on the new one." She said smiling.

"We'll go visit eventually." Jason promised her. South America wasn't his favorite spot, but a trip needed to happen at some point by either him or Sonny. Since the territory was so large, a boss always went. With Alexis being pregnant Jason knew he would be going. Elizabeth would have fun exploring while he went to meetings. When his business was done, they could walk the city together.

"Stop making out in there, we are hungry!" Emily called from the yard.

Liz cracked up, she couldn't help it.

"You have my ring. It's too late to escape now." Jason dropped her a wink. "Grab a platter, if we don't feed her it will get ugly. She might start eating the plants." He said joking.

Liz picked up the remaining dish and went to join her family as they celebrated her and Jason's new home.

* * *

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	31. Chapter 31

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 31

"That was a lot of fun." Jason admitted as he locked the front door and set the alarm.

"Dinner parties don't have to be frightening." Liz just laughed at her guy. He had been all for having their friends and family over. However he had confessed that the words dinner party made him nervous. She understood. Elizabeth watched the Quartermaines throw dinner parties as she was growing up. A disaster always seemed to strike. Including one memorable occasion where Monica served Alan with divorce papers.

"I think it helps when you don't call them dinner parties." Jason replied with a grin. "Also I think when people have to bring gifts it makes them behave."

"That is a very interesting theory you have there." Liz said trying not to laugh.

"I'm serious." Jason was following her into the kitchen.

"Then how do you explain Christmas at the mansion?" Liz asked arching a brow. "There are a ton of gifts under the tree, yet Em said that there hasn't been a peaceful one in all the time she has been a part of the family." Last year's issue had been Tracy's new boyfriend. A con artist who was clearly after her money. Ned almost blew a gasket and a fist fight was just barely averted. Things like that were why Liz didn't celebrate the holiday at the mansion. Thanksgiving pizza was enough.

"I think that has more to do with the family than with the holiday. The Quartermaines don't do peaceful well, no matter what the date on the calendar is." Jason pointed out. "I think Christmas would go better if the entire family wasn't there." Everyone came home for Lila. With the holiday on his mind he started frowning.

"What's wrong?" Liz wanted to know. She was emptying the dishwasher. The massive bright yellow stand mixer caught her attention and she smiled. It was just one of the gifts they had gotten. Sonny had gifted it to her, but she knew Jason had suggested it.

"I just realized I will probably have to go to the mansion for Christmas this year. Now that we are dating my excuse to avoid it is gone." Jason usually only stopped by to drop off his gifts before heading over to Elizabeth's place. They spent the day together because her parents usually went out of town on vacation now that their daughter was an adult. Although in their defense they always invited Elizabeth to go with them. It was one of the few instances of them actually parenting well. "It will make Grandmother happy to see us both sitting at the table."

"So are you going to break up with me now?" Liz said trying not to grin.

"I'm pretty sure Grandmother would run me over with her wheelchair if I did." Jason said with a smirk.

"Is that the only reason we should stay together?" Liz wanted to know, understanding that he was messing with her.

"The guys would probably fit me for cement shoes." Jason added to the list.

"And?" Liz prodded him turning to put the glasses away because she couldn't hide her smile anymore.

"Emily would trash my bike. I really love that bike." Jason was enjoying the silly conversation. "I don't even want to think about what Carly would do."

"All valid points." Liz turned to find that Jason was right behind her. She hadn't even heard him walk over. Even in shoes he moved silently. "We should just stay together, for your safety."

"Yeah, we should." Jason leaned forward so he could kiss her. "My safety is paramount." He kissed her again. "More importantly we should stay together because I'm so very much in love with you."

"Best reason yet." Liz smiled up at him. "Especially since I am head over heels in love with you. So we'll stay together, and hide in the house at Christmas."

"We should go away." Jason let the pleasure of having her in his arms fill him up. "If we stay in the house Emily will lead an assault. For years I've been listening to her complain about having to endure the holiday while AJ and I get a pardon." The eldest Quartermaine child spent the holiday in Seattle because Carly's mom Bobbie and her boyfriend lived there.

"I could be talked into spending Christmas on your private beach in Puerto Rico." Liz let him know while kissing the underside of his jaw.

"I'll keep that in mind." Jason was enjoying her lips on him. Actually he was thinking they could spend Christmas in Italy. If not the actual holiday, because Lila would really love to host them at the mansion, then they could leave not long after. Francis and Diane would be in Sicily so they might even be able to meet up and hang out for a day or two. Jason would need to look into that. Now however he had something else to do. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" Liz had moved her lips to the hollow of his throat.

"I need to set it up, which I'm going to have trouble with if you keep doing that." Jason wasn't strong to move away.

"Is my surprise better than this?" Liz asked looking up through her lashes. "Because I'm very much enjoying myself."

"Elizabeth." Jason was reaching for some strength and failing.

She lifted her lips from his skin. "Okay. We can pick this up later."

"Thank you." He said laughing at himself. "I need about thirty minutes. Don't look outside." Jason told her.

"You just don't want to help me put the dishes away." Liz had that brow arched again.

"No, I don't." Jason bent his knees and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll come get you when the surprise is ready." He said starting to walk away. "Stay away from the windows." He called over his shoulder before walking out the patio doors. There was a surprise to be set up.

* * *

"Elizabeth?" Jason walked through the kitchen which was now empty. A quick peek in the downstairs rooms showed they were empty as well. "Elizabeth?" He called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Hi." Liz leaned over the banister. "Have you finished avoiding the dishes?"

"Since they are all put away, yes." Jason gave her a grin. "Ready for the surprise?"

"Yes, please." Liz walked down the hall and came down the stairs. "The camera was great, and the ring was amazing so I have high expectations for this."

Jason scooped her up into his arms. "I didn't realize I had set the bar so high for myself. What were you doing upstairs?"

"Putting the new shelf in my closet." Liz had no problem using power tools. Adding, or taking away, shelves was second nature to her because she did it all the time at her studio. Between the two of them they wouldn't need to call a crew out for most household repairs. "It's a lot of work being short." She said on a laugh.

"I wouldn't know. That does explain the numerous step ladders in the house." Jason teased her. "Close your eyes."

"Okay." Liz loved that he enjoyed surprising her. She needed to get on the ball and do some surprises for him. The big problem was that the man was impossible to shop for. Every year when his birthday rolled around finding a gift took a lot of effort. What made it less frustrating was that everyone else was in the same boat, even Lila.

Jason was taking in what he set up as he carried his girlfriend across the yard. They went past the pool area and he had to smile because the water had factored into his planning. They decided to not have it enclosed because in the colder months they could use the pool at the Towers. The sound of the water would help his girl fall asleep. Since returning from the island she was sleeping much better. However the nightmares were still lingering. They were having a water feature installed in the bedroom next week and he we hoping that helped further.

"Okay, open your eyes." Jason said when they were standing in front of what he had done.

"You set up the tent." Liz smiled wide. "It's huge." This wasn't your typical pup tent. You could fit four adults inside without feeling cramped. "This is what you picked up?" When they went shopping for their camping supplies they split up in the store. She had gone off to get the air mattress, with Max along, while Jason handled the actual tent. She hadn't seen what he purchased until now.

"I thought this would be a good night to camp out." Jason set her down on her feet. "Tonight we made it official that this is our new home. We had our friends and family over to share in this with us, and now it's time for our own private celebration."

This was their first night in the new house. Over the past few days, since construction was completed, she had been putting the final touches on the house. Today the crew brought over the last of their things and they unpacked before getting ready for the party. "I like the sound of that." Liz reached out and took his hand in hers. "Shall we go in?"

"Absolutely." Jason opened the front of the tent so that she could go in first.

"Wow." Liz looked around the spacious tent. Her guy had really gone all out to bring the romance. The interior was lit with a soft glow that enhanced the atmosphere. The king sized air mattress was inflated and set up on one side of tent. The sheets and soft blanket made it look very inviting. Next to the mattress was an ice bucket with what she was guessing was champagne and two flutes. Next to that on a tray was a plate of chocolate covered strawberries under a clear dome. "It's cool in here."

"They make ceiling fans for tents." Jason pointed up. "I saw it at the store and I went back for it yesterday. It's solar powered so I had it sitting out all day so it would charge." He wanted her to be comfortable.

"This is amazing. Thank you." Liz hadn't expected all this when she mentioned camping out. Nor did she think that everything they got out the tent it would be like this. However for this first time she liked that he made it special.

He walked to the far side of the enclosure which was empty except for a tray with portable speaker set up on it. He took out his phone and hooked it up. "Will you dance with me?" Jason asked holding out his hand.

Without a word Liz walked over and took it. She let him pull her closer and she leaned into him. "I love dancing with you." They didn't do that often.

"We need a song. It's a requirement when you are part of a couple." Jason look down at her and smiled. They didn't dance together very often, and that needed to change. His girl liked to dance. They had a good sound system in the house and there was no need to waste it. "Any suggestions?"

"Hold on." Liz walked over to his phone and pulled up a search engine. She typed in a title and went back to where her guy was standing. "This song always makes me think of you."

"Who is it?" Jason didn't really know many current songs. He liked music and he generally had it playing in the background at work. However he didn't really pay much attention to it, if he was being honest.

"Peter Gabriel." Liz was guessing that Jason wasn't going to know who that was. "This song always makes me think of us. There hasn't ever been a time when I didn't feel safe with you. From the first time we had our first real conversation, I knew that you were someone that I could always count on. I have no idea why." She could admit that. "I wasn't in a place where I was trusting a lot of people, but I had no problem trusting you. Falling in love with you was just so natural and easy. I think that might be why it took me a minute to recognize what had happened." She said smiling at him as they swayed to the song. These words were inside her waiting to be shared.

Jason let her love fill him up. "I've never been someone who makes friends easily. You know that." He watched as she nodded. "Emily was always introducing me to people back then. It seemed like she always hanging out with someone. I couldn't tell you any of their names, because I didn't notice them. But I noticed you. Enough that when I saw you working at Kelly's a few days later I said hi. I'm glad I did." While they were talking he was also listening to the lyrics of the song, and he understood why Elizabeth felt this was the perfect song for them.

"Me too. I was surprised that you did." Liz shared with him. "There were six of us with Emily the day she introduced us. Honestly I didn't think that you noticed me. What surprised me even more was that I came up and said hi to you when I saw you later that same week." She had been in the coffee shop getting a hot chocolate. Running into him hadn't been the reason she was there, but she had made the most of the opportunity. "I was a little worried that my age would keep us from being friends."

Jason had to laugh at that. "Francis was the one that explained why that could be an issue. At the time romance wasn't even a thought in my mind."

"I did notice how hot you were." Liz said watching him blush. "I would have to be blind not to. But that wasn't where my head was at either. Dating was not even a desire for me. I was enjoying having a friend I could be myself with. Someone who was always in my corner, and who was there when I needed them. My gram was the only person who I got that from. Even with Em I felt I had to be bright and bubbly when we were together. I also really liked that you knew you could count on me. If you needed something you called, and I know that outside of the guys you don't do that with many people. I think the fact that I had that we have that safe space with one another set the groundwork for what we have now."

Jason just nodded because everything she was saying was true for him as well. "I didn't have to be anything but Jason with you. I don't think I realized how much I needed that until you gave it to me. When it dawned on me I was in love with you it just made sense. I had no idea how to tell you though. When you started talking about your feelings I felt like I had been given a gift. That we were in the same place at the same time made me happier than I'd ever been in my life."

It was her turn to nod. "I fell in love with my best friend."

"Best feeling in the world." Jason added on. "I like the song."

"It's called In Your Eyes. Since you like, and I like it this can be our song." Liz leaned into him again.

"It can." Jason agreed urging her closer.

* * *

"Where did you hide the strawberries?" Liz wanted to know. They had danced for a while before Jason brought her over to the mattress. He opened the champagne and poured them both a glass, then served her a strawberry.

"Sonny brought them over for me, and put them in the refrigerator. I ordered them from the chocolate shop you like." Jason explained how they got into the house.

"He did have a lot of containers." Liz took a bite of the sweet treat her boyfriend was holding. "They are delicious."

"I thought some romance was in order for our camp out." Jason finished the berry. "I know that I don't always have to break out the champagne to give you romance." His girl would be just as thrilled with something smaller. "However I promised myself that we would have nights like this."

"I'm behind on the romance too." Liz said putting down her glass.

"It's not a contest." Jason let her know.

"I am aware of that." Liz slid closer to him. "It's important to me that you know that I see you, and appreciate you."

"I never doubt that." Jason promised her. "Plus guys are easy." He said with a slow grin. "All this doesn't really get us excited."

"What gets you excited?" Liz wanted to know.

"You get me excited." Jason told her looking into her eyes.

Liz just melted, she couldn't help it. Instead of saying anything she cupped his cheek and pulled him forward until their lips touched. She absolutely loved kissing him. While their lips were joined she shifted again so that she was on his lap because she wanted more contact. When her legs were wrapped around his waist she could feel his hands caging her hips and then sliding up over her ribcage until his thumbs were moving across her hard nipples. The delicious friction he was causing had her moaning loudly.

Jason pulled back to take in a breath and looked at the sexy woman in his arms. His hands dropped down to her waist because he needed to calm down for a minute. It wouldn't take much to make him lose control completely. Her eyes opened slowly and he could see that they deepened to a darker shade of blue. Unable to stop himself he reached up and captured a curl twirling it around his finger. "Like silk. Everywhere I touch on you is so soft." He said in an awed whisper. He was trying to maintain control and not just take her. This was a night of romance and seduction. However he had a lot of emotions running through him, and she was so sexy that going slow was going to be hard.

"Jason." She said on a soft sigh. Capturing his hand she kissed his palm. "I love you." Elizabeth just had to tell him again.

"I love you too." Jason said as mouth came back to hers taking complete possession of her lips. With a hand once again on her hip he pulled her body closer to his and growled in approval when she fisted her fingers in his hair.

Now he was the one wanting more contact so he went up to his knees before leaning forward so that they could stretch out across the mattress. He let her take his weight as he pushed his hard cock against her center. She whimpered as her hips lifted into his when he repeated the motion. He wanted to gobble her up in three big bites. "Damn baby you make me crazy." He told her as he moved a fraction of an inch away to unbutton the shirt she wore. He might howl if he didn't get to skin soon.

"Hurry." Liz demanded her own hands shaking too much to help.

He got halfway before he simply got too impatient and tugged on the material sending buttons flying. Thankfully her bra had a front clasp and he was able to push that out of the way as well. "So beautiful." He said as he reached out and circled a nipple with his fingertip.

Liz actually blushed at his compliment. He never failed to move her with the words he seemed to so easily give her. He never failed to tell her how he was feeling. "Jason, I need you." She said pulling him close once more. And it was true, she did. That need he sparked in her would never go away. The second he stopped touching her she wanted him back again.

"You have me baby. Always." Jason said before he captured her lips with his and feasted.

He had to break the kiss, this time to undress. When he came back he told himself to slow down. Starting at her forehead he used his mouth and went on a lazy journey down her body. Jason made sure to stop and show his appreciation of her breasts by taking her nipples into his mouth and sucking until they tingled. When she was squirming beneath him he finally moved on.

He stopped again when he reached the very center of her. With a tortured groan he leaned forward and licked her dripping core. So sweet was his only thought. Everywhere he tasted she was sweet like sugar. Lapping at her soft tissue made his cock throb harder but he wasn't going to be rushed. He wasn't moving from this spot until Elizabeth was screaming his name in ecstasy

Her hands were once again fisted in his hair. Not to keep him in place, oh no because he wouldn't move until he got what he wanted. No she had her hands in his hair to keep herself grounded. The softness of his tongue combined with the heat of his mouth was driving her insane with pleasure. "More…oh my god." Her hips bucked as her pleasure spiked and she came. She felt him sucking softly and the pleasure bumped even higher until her whole body trembled.

As she floated down she felt Jason move until he was lined up with her center. She managed to come back enough to pout. "I wanted to return the favor." Liz said feeling utterly content.

"Next time." This would not be the only time they made love tonight. However just thinking of her mouth on him almost had him coming, as it was once he got inside her it was going to be quick. "Right now I need to be inside you." In response she opened her legs and raised her arms. He fit himself in the cradle of her hips and gritted his teeth as she reached down encircling his shaft to guide him in. "So good." He got out before plunging deep.

At the feel of her hands circling his rigid shaft soft and gentle went out the window. The control he had been battling to keep simply snapped. He needed her more than he ever had before.

"Oh…yes...yes…" Liz arched hard beneath him as the pleasure engulfed her. Jason's hands were clamped down on her hips so she couldn't move with him, and she might have bruises later but she didn't care. This felt amazing. "Harder." She demanded placing her hands on his shoulder and letting her short nails dig into the muscle. He gave her what she wanted and the only thing she could do was scream in pleasure when the wave of release crashed over her.

Holding back wasn't going to happen. He was too deep into the pleasure. He was pumping harder and faster with each glide of his body into hers. When Elizabeth's inner muscles clamped down on him he stroked harder still until he simply exploded filling her body with his release. Unable to speak or support himself he simply slid to the side, somehow finding the strength to pull her close.

She spoke first. "I like camping out."

"That wasn't what I had planned." Jason told her as their bodies cooled under the ceiling fan.

"Really? Us getting naked wasn't the plan. Because I remember you saying boobs would make camping more fun." Liz teased him. She placed a kiss on his chest before smiling. "You were right."

"I planned on going slow." Jason explained pushing her hair back so he could see her face.

"Slow can still happen." Liz let him know. "However I wouldn't change a thing about how we were just together. I love that I can make you lose control." He didn't hide how sexy he found her. "It seems only fair because you make me greedy.

"Is that right?" Jason asked with a sexy smile. "How greedy?"

"Give me about half an hour and I'll show you." Liz said laughing. She needed to rest up some. Right now she was whipped.

"That sounds like a plan." Jason said pulling her closer. It was going to be a fun night.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	32. Chapter 32

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 32

"I'm kind of excited in case you couldn't tell." Liz was grinning as she and Max walked up to her boutique. Not even three weeks after the house was done, the shop was completed. The fresh coat of white paint on the exterior gleamed in the sun. Cody assured her that this was the best brand on the market and it would hold up to the weather in the region. She wouldn't need a touch up for a few years. When she did he would send out a crew.

"Nope, never would have guessed." Max said grinning. "Am I going in with you?" He remembered that she wanted to go in alone first the day she bought the building.

"You can come in." Liz looked over at her friend. "I need someone to catch me if I pass from too much happy."

"Are we waiting for Jason?" Max wanted to know. At the moment they were just standing in front of the new store.

"No, I'm just taking it all in." Liz was fixing the memory in her brain. "He'll be arriving with everyone else. I just wanted to come and do the walk through first."

She had gotten the keys two days ago. Just like with the house it was requested that she do a walk through. Unlike the house, she found a couple of things that needed to be changed. She made it clear to Cody that his crew hadn't failed. The fault was on her. What she selected wasn't working like she thought it would. Liz expected that after the store opened she might find more things that needed adjustment. These types of mistakes showed her inexperience.

Today her friends were gathering to help her set up shop. Literally. The shelves were on the walls already, the crew had done that. They were putting together the racks for the floors, and putting out inventory. A truck would be arriving from the warehouse right after lunch with items from her current spring/summer and fall/winter lines. Also before leaving the mannequins that would be in the big front window would be dressed and positioned. Then the paper covering those windows was getting removed. When folks strolled down the street there would be something new to look at.

Tomorrow the plan was to come back and do a walk through. Displays would be fussed with, and the interior mannequins would be dressed. Two days from now she would be conducting training for her newly hired staff. The application she posted on a local employment site had gotten more responses than Liz had been expecting. There was a good sized pool to pick her associates from. She hired six employees, one of whom would be her manager. Even though she would be on site most days her working on the floor wouldn't be ideal. It was all coming together nicely.

Liz pulled the keys from her pocket and walked over to the front door where Audrey March was written in the same lettering and color as her sign. While many of her neighbors had those metal grates protecting their establishments, she did not. It wasn't necessary. No one was breaking any of the windows.

"I love the smell of floor wax." She said as they walked in. "I'm strange."

"The good kind of strange." Max said grinning. "You need my handkerchief today?" The last time they were here she had cried. Happy tears, but they still made him slightly uncomfortable.

"No." Liz looked around and let the sunshine warm her. "Are you guys required to carry handkerchiefs?" All the guys had them.

"Yes." Max confirmed as the stood in the middle of the large empty room. "Even if Sonny didn't say we had to Milo and I would carry them because our dad made us do so growing up."

"Do you miss Palermo?" She wanted to know. The question was asked as she reviewed the changes she requested. Everything was looking great.

"Not really." Max answered the question. "I miss my family, but I actually prefer living here. If you get the chance though you should visit Sicily. It is beautiful."

"I've seen pictures." Liz was checking out the changing rooms at the moment. This was the area she had messed up the most. Deciding to be different she had the walls painted a vivid shade of yellow. Which altered the colors of her clothing when she was standing in the small room. Clearly there was a reason that every store she'd ever been in had white walls in their fitting area. "It looks stunning. I'm guessing that Jason will need to go at some point, and I'll just beg to come along. I'm willing to whine if necessary."

Max just laughed. Jason would no doubt take Liz to Italy if he had to go, which meant Max could probably visit with his mother. Milo too if he was still on this current detail. Which probably wouldn't be the case. Max was thinking his brother would get reassigned at some point. Having siblings guarding a couple generally didn't happen. It could potentially be too much loss for one family, and he didn't see himself being transferred. "How does it look?"

"Amazing." Liz said with a wide smile. 'It was never the work of the crew that was the issue. I made the mistake which I explained to Cody." She said walking into the large back area. Here there was storage for anything on the racks, and a nice area for the employees. Including their own bathroom, there was a lavatory for customers in a separate area. She looked at her watch. "Everyone should be here shortly, so we need to get back out front."

"I'm looking forward to the party tonight. It's kind of funny how much socializing Jason does these days." The big guard said laughing. "We didn't know he had it in him."

"You make him sound like a shut in." Liz responded while laughing. "Hanging out with you guys is something he always did. If he starts going to parties outside our social circle, then you all can be gob smacked. I'll be right there with you. Are you bringing Clarice tonight?" Max had asked her out for the first time a few weeks ago. So they had a new couple to celebrate.

He grinned at how quickly she came to the boss's defense. "She is." Things between them were going great. Like Liz and Jason, he and Clarice had been friends for a while before making the jump. "I'll be going to get her and then following you guys over to the restaurant." Polluzo's was closed for the party to celebrate the boutique's opening next week. His phone rang. "The guys are here."

Liz walked through the storage area to the back door. Behind the store was an area for deliveries, it was also where she and Max would be parking. The employees and customers would use the parking lot at the end of the block. It was free, as the city wanted to encourage folks to come down, walk around, and shop. Out front Liz had decided to also install a bike rack, in case folks wanted to come down that way. "Hi!"

"Hey kid." Francis had driven everyone over. Him, Johnny, and Cody piled out of the car. Behind them another car was parking, that vehicle would contain the crew that was helping them.

"The racks aren't here yet." She told her friends as she got hugs. That truck wasn't due for another fifteen minutes. It was just going to be her and the guys because all the gals were working, or in Em's case in class. Her friend was taking the last class of her college experience. By the end of August she would be a college graduate. In December they were all going to gather to watch her walk across the stage.

"How did the repaint go?" Cody wanted to know.

"It's perfect." Liz assured him.

"This space is huge." Francis said looking around. He knew that once the racks and clothes were here it would shrink the room.

"Where is Jason?" Johnny asked looking around.

"I didn't invite him. I don't want him to see the space until it is finished." Liz explained to Johnny. "The two of us will do a walkthrough by ourselves once it's all set up. Sonny isn't coming either."

Johnny just grinned. The two of them were really cute together. "Sonny not being here is for the best. He doesn't do well with tools."

"Which is hilarious when you consider what he can do with a knife." Francis pointed out. Sonny had made more trips to the hospital trying to fix things around the house then for any other reason. Jason finally went over and confiscated all of his partner's tools and told Ritchie that Sonny wasn't allowed to buy any more. Cody knew that as well.

"The truck is here." Cody was closest to the back door. He and Johnny could be here because Sonny and Alexis were both at home, and staying there for the time being. So it made sense that Jason was absent because someone had to run things. "We'll get everything put together and then you can tell us where it all goes."

"Thanks guys, I appreciate this." Liz would also be helping with assembly. "Karen is coming over in a couple of hours to help me place the clothes." She had been happy to help, especially since no one else was free. "So the more racks we have ready to go the better."

"Let's get to it then." Francis said moving out of the way as boxes were brought in.

* * *

"That is probably Karen." Liz said putting down her screwdriver and looking at her watch. Her friend would be a little early but that was fine. The racks were coming along nicely, so if she stopped and moved onto something else it would be fine. "Johnny will you be able to focus with your girlfriend here?" She asked joking. "I don't want you losing a finger."

"I think I'll be okay." Johnny promised her, although he would be enjoying the view of his girlfriend. Things with them are going great.

"We'll keep an eye on him." Francis said being cheeky.

"Oh my goodness!" Liz said throwing open the door and hugging her friend hard. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I said I would be back in time for your opening." Carly said hugging Liz tight. "I'm so proud of you. The outside looks amazing."

"Come see the inside." Liz stepped back and pulled Carly into the main room.

"Nice. It looks chic and classy. In other words expensive." Carly took it all in. "I can't wait to send our guests over to spend their cash, and of course coming in to spend my money too." Her friend was going to own the fashion scene in no time flat. "How can I help? What can I do?"

"I'm expecting Karen shortly so that we can start putting the clothes on the racks and the mannequins. You can help with that." Liz wasn't going to turn down someone who wanted to help her.

"Karen is coming." Carly had heard good things about her. "I'm looking forward to meeting her. Em likes her."

"You'll like her too." Liz assured her friend. "You've actually met once. She was one of the models that came to the hotel when you let me use the ballroom terrace for a shoot." There had been a power outage and her building didn't have electricity. So she didn't fall behind schedule Liz had called Carly who said to come on over.

"Which one?" Carly prided herself on never forgetting a name or face. It was a bonus in her line of work.

"Shorter of the two brunettes. Brown eyes. Long bob, at the time." Liz told her friend.

"I remember her. She was nice." Carly had only spoken with her briefly, but the model had zero attitude. Plus if Liz said she was cool, then Karen would fit in well with the group. "Want me to get started, or should we wait?"

"We'll get started with the racks and Karen can start on the mannequins when she gets here." Liz decided. "She started a personal shopping service." It had only been a few weeks, but she already had a few customers who were raving about her.

"Really? I'll need to look into that. I like to shop, but honestly sometimes I just don't have time." Carly was busy most of the time. "Plus if Karen is any good I can tell my guests at the hotel." Carly was always looking for more VIP services to offer.

"Come on, we'll get some clothes and you can tell me about London while we work." Liz was also hoping to see some new pictures of the hotel. Carly had been sending them all updates.

"That I can do. Then you can update me on the goings ons in Port Charles. Who found out they have a long lost sibling, who is having an affair, who returned from the dead. I've been gone long enough for all those things to have happened." Carly was laughing as she followed her friend into the back of the store.

* * *

"You look amazing." Jason said twirling his girlfriend around. "One of yours?"

"Nope." Liz smiled at the compliment. "Just something I saw and fell in love with. I have been waiting to have somewhere that I can wear this dress to. I was thinking a wedding, since everyone we know will do something formal. Only no one else has gotten married since I bought it. I need to remind them that it's all about me." She commented while smiling. "I don't think that it is too much to ask that someone get married so I can wear a dress." She was being outrageous and knew it.

"You'd more than likely be in the wedding party." Jason pointed out. "Like with Carly and Diane. And now Nadine. You could wear your nice dresses to the engagement parties." He said playing along.

"That is true." Liz ran her hand down the garment. "Also if I'm going to be completely honest this dress is too showy to wear to someone else's big day." The bandeau jacquard floral dress was certainly eye catching. The metallic gold and pale peach print shimmered every time she moved. It was an outfit that was made to be the center of attention, in the best possible way. With it being strapless as well as boasting a shorter skirt it also showed a fair amount of skin. This was a dress to party the night away in, which is what they were about to do.

"We will need to go out again, so that you have another excuse to wear the dress." Jason knew his girlfriend had no problem recycling outfits.

"I'm not going to turn that offer down. Especially since you will be in a suit." He was in a deep charcoal suit, and to her surprise a patterned tie.

"Ready?" Jason asked holding out his arm. They were making a stop before joining their friends at the restaurant. Earlier he called Max and told him to just take his date to the party, and then Jason called Rory to tell him that he was working as the primary guard. Max had more than earned a night off.

"I am." Liz said letting him lead her outside where the limo was waiting.

"Ready?" It was her turn to ask.

"I'm actually really excited." Jason let her know. They were standing in front of the rear entrance to the boutique. This afternoon a good portion of the store had been set up in preparation for the grand opening this weekend. According to the information she had read the slowest day for the business district was Sunday, so that was when she opening. It would give the staff a chance to get their feet under them, and her a chance to see what was immediately not working. Then make changes.

"Okay." Liz had butterflies in her stomach as she let them in. Having him here meant everything. She wasn't seeking his approval on what she had done, but she did need to share this with Jason. "This is the stock room. I'll have more inventory upstairs but this is where the ladies will come to restock the shelves after closing or when merchandise is low." She started the tour. "Over to the left is the employee break area, lockers, and restroom. On the right are the stairs to the second and third floors. I'll be working on setting up those areas during the rest of the week and probably part of next week as well." Everything from her studio was on the third floor, it just needed to be taken out of the boxes.

Jason nodded as she opened the door that divided the employee only area from the store front. That sense of pride and awe he always got when talking about her work was very much present. To just know that his girlfriend had created enough clothing, beautiful and amazing clothing, to fill an entire showroom left him seeking words.

They stood at the back of the main room, next to the area where the cash register was stationed. The crew that was over had gotten a lot done. Liz had learned that both Johnny and Francis had really amazing styling skills because they ended up helping put out the clothes. Cody declined saying he could barely dress himself which wasn't true. She reached over and turned on the lights so that some of the overheads were on giving the room a glow.

"Wow." Jason hadn't ever seen this much of her inventory in one place at once. He knew that she had enough product to fill a warehouse, but he couldn't imagine how many pieces that were. Even now he got that this was just a fraction of what was available. "You deserve this success." Jason took her hand in his. "You've worked so hard, and this is just another stop on every good thing that is coming your way."

"Thank you." Liz stretched up and kissed him before leaning her head on his shoulder. "I feel such a sense of accomplishment looking at this room. I remember hanging my flier in the student lounge in high school saying I would make dresses for the different formals that were coming up. I didn't expect anyone to call." She admitted softly. "Then the phone rang and someone wanted me to make a dress for the sophomore hop."

"Hop?" Jason asked frowning.

"It's another term for a dance." Liz looked over at him. "I have no idea why they call it that." Knowing him he'd probably look it up. She didn't really care enough to do so.

"Sorry, continue with your memory." He kissed the tip of her nose.

Liz laughed at him, he was too cute. "I got a call from someone I didn't know. She was on a budget and asked me what I could do. I made her this pretty purple dress. Her words not mine. Then when the junior prom rolled around I got six calls. Six." She said shaking her head. "Then the senior prom happened and I dressed ten girls. My Gram had to help, which was a good lesson in not over extending myself. She wouldn't let me pay her, so I took her out to dinner at the Grille. We got all dressed up and everything. That was the beginning of this. There were some really hard times, but I didn't give up. I kept going, and now I'm here."

Jason smiled over at her. "I'm glad you are taking time to enjoy this. I know you have so many more plans you want to put into action, but if you don't stop once in a while to appreciate what you've accomplished then what is the point."

"Did Lila tell you that?" Liz thought that sounded like Grandmother.

"She did." Jason smiled and nodded. "She was trying to point out that I worked too much, without just coming out and saying so. Monica had mentioned being worried I was going to work myself into the ground. Lila apparently agreed. She helped me understand that if I didn't stop and look at life when I finally did raise my head I would have missed everything of value." Jason could be stubborn but he had heard what his grandmother said that day.

"How did you respond to that?" Liz wanted to know.

"I tracked you down and asked you to go on a bike ride with me." Jason shared something he hadn't ever told her before. "That was the first of what became our almost weekly rides."

"Really?" Liz let that warm her.

"Really." Jason look around the store again. "Can I see upstairs?"

"Sure." Liz took his hand and they went to the stairs. On the second level the rear of the floor was more inventory. Like the storage area it resembled a large walk in closet. The front portion of the floor was where her desk was going to be set up for now. Long term planning had her hoping that someday she would need this level for shopping as well. On the third floor there were unpacked boxes, her work table, and her sewing machine. She was going to be working here on Sunday, to keep herself from running downstairs every ten minutes. "That's everything." They were standing by the large front windows which perfectly framed the view of the park and the Port Charles Hotel.

"I know I've said it before, but I want to say it again while we are standing here. I'm proud of you. I'm proud to stand beside you while you are pursuing your dreams. I also want to say that I love you." He had both of her hands in his.

"My dreams are coming true. Not just the store, but having someone who loves me just as I am. Having you here means everything." Liz squeezed his hands. She believed that she would have gotten here even if she was on her own, but having someone to share this with made it that much better.

He used their joined hands to pull her forward and let his lips linger on hers. The kiss was short because he didn't want to get carried away. Nor did he want to mess up her makeup or hair. While it was true they would just be with friends, he still knew that she had taken care putting this look together. Lots of pictures would be getting taken to commemorate the store opening, so the ladies all wanted to look great. "We should get going."

"Yeah, the guys have been downstairs waiting for us for a while now." Liz was ready to party, now that she had shared this with Jason. He had wanted to come help set up and when she explained why she'd rather he wasn't there, he understood. He always gave her what she needed. Always. "I'm ready to party."

"Save a dance for me." Jason said escorting her to the stairs. It was time to go celebrate.

"You got it." She dropped him a wink as she got out her keys to lock up.

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Thanks for the reviews!


	33. Chapter 33

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 33

"Yo." Emily came in a flopped down on the couch next to Jason. "Elizabeth is downstairs talking to a customer."

"Summer just came to get her." Jason turned his head and opened his eyes to look at his sister. "Is the customer upset?"

"Nope. Lots of grinning was taking place." Emily mirrored his stance of stretching out her legs and resting her head on the back of the overstuffed chair. "How come you are here?"

"Manual labor. We stopped by the night of the party and I noticed that the boxes were stacked up, some higher than Elizabeth. I'm here to get them down, also I can move furniture and such while I'm here." Jason explained to his sister. "I know she can do it on her own, but this way I have an excuse to sit here and look at her." He ended with a grin.

"I think my teeth hurt after that statement." Emily just closed her eye as she relaxed. "If it gets out that you are saying stuff like that no one will be afraid of you."

"Like you and John aren't sickeningly sweet when you are around each other. I once had to sit and watch the two of you take twenty minutes to say goodbye. I'll miss you more." Jason said pitching his voice higher. "No, I'll miss you more." He said going higher still. "I was ready to throw up." He said teasing her.

"Don't be jealous. Look at it as relationship goals." Emily was trying not to laugh.

"I'm not jealous." Jason grinned wide. "I don't need to be, because now I have someone to be sickeningly sweet with too. We are also way cuter than the two of you."

"As if." She just rolled her eyes. She loved that Jason had found a place for his heart, and that it was with her best friend was just gravy. "I'm happy for you guys. I love you, I love her, so having you love each other is pretty freaking awesome." Emily said getting a little serious. Having both her brothers happy and in relationships with women she liked was a good thing. Because clearly it was all about her. Emily laughed a little at that thought.

"So did you come here to tell Elizabeth your good news?" Jason wanted to know. He closed his eyes again and got back in his relaxed position.

"What makes you think I have good news to share?" Emily wanted to know. He was correct, she did have good news but she had been doing her best to keep it under wraps. Stealing Liz's thunder was a bitchy move, which is why Em hadn't said anything. As far as she was concerned the next couple of weeks should belong to her friend. However, when the news got out wasn't up to her. It was going to be announced soon and Em wanted her family to get the information from her first.

"I'm smart like that." Jason said grinning. His sister was an open a book most of the time. She could keep a confidence if someone needed her to, but when it came to her life she wore her emotions on her sleeves. It hadn't been hard to guess that something great was going on in her life. He didn't see a new ring so he didn't think it was an engagement announcement. Being patient for him wasn't that hard but AJ, who had also clued in, was struggling. Which made Jason laugh. "Spill."

"I'm waiting for Liz to come up." Emily said giving him a look. "You could have pretended to be surprised." She sniffed in mock annoyance. "Does Liz know too?"

"I'm a lousy actor." Jason said with a wide grin. "She knows something is up, and wouldn't have minded you sharing at the party. In fact she told me I should tell you that you should share since everyone was there. Since you hadn't yet spoken up I said we should wait. I'm a great big brother, remember that when my birthday rolls around."

"Her night." Emily said as an explanation for the silence. "My news didn't need to be shared right then. I'm only sharing now because a press release is about to happen." She looked over at him. "Also pandering for gifts is beneath you." She said giving him attitude, because that is what little sisters did. His gift would of course be awesome because he was awesome. She just had to figure out what it would be.

"Did you tell Grandmother?" Jason was expecting to hear a yes.

"Of course I did." Emily answered like it was no brainer. "We tell her everything. It's like a family rule. If she ever decides to write a book a lot of tea is gonna get spilled." Emily wanted to be just like her grandmother when she finally grew up. "I told everyone else at brunch earlier, since you guys weren't there I'm now here. Although I wasn't expecting to find you."

"I can leave if you need to tell Elizabeth alone." Jason could do that for his sister. He got that the two women had their own relationship that didn't involve him.

"Nope. Telling you together is even better, so thank you for not making me track you down." Emily let him know. "How busy was today?" She asked about the shop.

"No clue. We've been up here all morning. Elizabeth has been trying not to think about downstairs. With her manager down there we've been concentrating on the workshop. She just needed to be here." Jason got that. When he first started the coffee business he had been at the warehouse every day for the first six months.

"We promised not to come in during the first week." Emily told her brother why none of the gang had been in to buy anything. "Liz wanted to get a handle on what sales might look like without us inflating the numbers."

"She told me." Jason shared with his sister. "She also told me that she understood good or bad this first week might not represent what will happen down the road." All businesses went through highs and lows. Hers would be no exception. "Does your news have anything to do with John?" Jason guessed he was a little curious after all.

"No. We aren't making an announcement." Emily told her brother. "Marriage doesn't interest me at the moment. Him either. Things are great between us. We don't see the need to change the status quo." She said shrugging. "AJ and Carly had a huge wedding, and mom will just have to be satisfied with that." Even if Em did get married, it would be a small ceremony. Jason was more than likely going to elope because Liz said that was how she wanted to do things. "Thanks for asking though." Emily never had to doubt if her big brothers were looking out for her. "Hi!" She sat up as Liz came upstairs. "The store looks great. I roamed around before coming up. I want friend points for not sneaking in a purchase."

"Thanks." Liz flopped down into the arm chair leaving the couch for the siblings.

"Was everything okay?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yup." Liz nodded grinning. "Mrs. Andrews is a tourist from out of town. Her granddaughter has been having trouble finding a dress for a summer social. Carly recommended the boutique. Summer said that Mrs. Andrews came in and found the dress right away. Then she dropped a lot of money deciding a shopping spree was called for. I stopped her before she said how much." Liz would review the numbers, and start her flow chart, after closing.

"Apparently she dropped enough to earn herself a meet and greet as well." Emily was thinking Summer hadn't exaggerated when she said a lot.

"Mrs. Andrews also took a business card, so I'm hoping for repeat business via the website." Liz knew that was really where success came from. Having regulars was everything in the fashion world. "What brings you by?"

"I have news to share." Emily started there. "Which is great because it covers the fact that I wanted to see inside the boutique."

"You are finally going to share? Good. I'm tired of waiting." Liz cracked a grin. "I was worried you were going to wait until the entire first week was over."

"I had planned to wait longer than that, but as I told Jason a press release is taking place. Tomorrow in fact." Emily let them know.

"Well?" Jason looked at his sister.

"I got a job. I know I'm not officially done with school until this summer session is over." The summer schedule was shorter which meant the class pace was accelerated. Since she only needed two classes worth of credits Emily didn't mind. Normally over the summer she worked with her grandmother at her charitable foundation. "However when the offer came in I snatched it up."

"Not with Grandmother?" Jason was guessing.

"No. Skye already runs the relish company, which is the only place Grandmother would be hiring. Tracy trying to push Skye out was enough." After their aunt got bounced from ELQ she decided she was going to run Pickle-Lila. Too bad she didn't check with her mother first. Lila was having none of that. "I'm going to work for Sonny."

"As what?" Jason hadn't heard a peep of this from his partner.

"Elton is getting promoted to CEO of Deception. Which is long overdue. He earned the position simply by not killing Ava. I'm going to be the company's new COO." Emily said with some pride. It was a position she was ready for. Between her degree and work experience this was a role she could fill. Plus the opportunity to learn from Elton was a good one. The man was at the top of his game, Grandfather respected him highly which not everyone could say.

"Congratulations." Liz got up and sat on Emily's other side to give her friend a big hug. "Sonny has made a very smart choice."

"Elton was the one who made the decision." Emily wasn't sure she would have said yes to Sonny. She would have worried he was doing this for Jason. "I was asked not to say anything after my interview until the decision was official. I got offered the job the same day you guys set up the store."

"Congrats. I'm proud of you." Jason smiled over at her. He was surrounded by smart and strong women.

"Thanks." Emily blinked back tears. "My first official job, will be the new Deception ad campaign to launch the new Opulence line. The ads that will feature Audrey March designs. I'm going to put it together and Elton will have final approval." Emily was super excited that she got to work with Liz right out the gate.

"So my lunch date in two weeks is with you now?" Liz was looking forward to working with Em.

"It is. So leave the diva attitude in your office." Emily said joking. She had worked hard in school to earn top grades. Now it was paying off. Grandfather had offered to buy her a company, but she declined. She wasn't ready for that just yet, and Emily understood that she still had things to learn. Elton was going to be a great mentor.

"Please, we both know I'm fabulous. You are lucky to be working with me." Liz said giving attitude. "My people and I had to squeeze you in. I was like 'Deception, who is that' when the paperwork came across my desk." She loved messing with Em.

"One store and her ego is swelling." Emily said playing along.

Liz just smiled wider. "Don't be jealous."

"On that note, I'm going to leave." Emily rolled her eyes and pretended to be annoyed. "I'll see you guys at dinner this week."

"We don't have plans to come to the mansion." Jason told his sister. They hadn't been over for a few weeks.

"I think that was Em's way of dropping a hint." Liz picked up on what her boyfriend missed.

The brunette just smiled before kissing her brother's cheek. "Stay out of trouble. You'll get arrested just so you don't have to go to dinner. Congrats again." Emily told Liz giving her a hug. "I'm going to try steel my resolve so I don't buy anything on my way out. You've got a pink cashmere sweater that is going to test me though." She spotted it before coming up.

"It will be here next week." Liz knew which one her friend was talking about. She would go down and put it aside to make sure that statement was true.

"If it's not I'm sure I'll find something else to buy." Emily was already planning to get her Nurses' Ball and ELQ Christmas party gowns here. Now that she was joining Deception she would need something for that holiday party as well. "Bye."

"I'll walk you down." Jason said sitting up.

"Don't bother, Ritchie is downstairs." Emily wasn't enjoying have a guard, but he wasn't going anywhere so she was dealing. "Bye." She called out before disappearing from sight.

"She's going to rock that position." Liz was so happy for her friend.

"That she will." Jason stole a kiss since his girl was so close.

"Okay, enough slacking." She said looking at the boxes before pointing. "Can you get that box down for me please?" Before he left she would ask him to get down all the higher boxes for her so that tomorrow she could finish up on her own. Max could help her, but that wasn't why he would be here.

"When do I get paid?" Jason wanted to know.

"You will get your kisses when the day is over." Liz said getting to her feet. "Not before." She said walking over to the box she had been emptying out when Summer came up.

"You are hard to work for." Jason mock complained as he also got up. He was looking forward to going home and getting those kisses.

* * *

"Elizabeth." Summer was back upstairs. Her boss's boyfriend was on the couch checking his phone. Living in Port Charles she knew who Jason Morgan was, but hadn't ever seen him in person before. The pictures in the paper didn't do him justice. The guy on the second floor was also very nice to look at, Summer hadn't gotten his name though.

Jason looked over. He had heard footsteps on the stairs so he looked over. Rory was on the second floor and he wouldn't let just anyone up to the third floor, so Jason was guessing it was a staff member. When Summer appeared he just nodded.

"Hi." Liz looked at the clock. The shop would be closing shortly so she was thinking this was a check in. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. There is someone here to see you. She asked for you by name." This was only Summer's second time upstairs and she noted that her boss had already gotten through a fair number of boxes.

"Really? Did you get a name?" Liz wasn't expecting anyone. She also made a mental note to set up her phone system before leaving. It wasn't fair to make her staff walk all the way up to deliver messages. That wasn't part of their job.

"Ms. Kate Howard." Summer held out the business card she was given.

Liz froze for a moment before taking the card with a shaking hand. "Kate Howard is downstairs?" Looking down she took in her jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers. She was not dressed to receive Kate Howard.

"Yes, should I tell her you aren't available?" Summer wanted to know.

"No." Liz said pulling it together. "Send her up. Thank you." They would talk on the second floor which was in better shape.

"Okay." Summer said before going back to the store.

"Kate Howard is here, and I look like a mess." Liz said brushing off her jeans. She couldn't imagine the state her hair was in. It was piled on her head in a messy bun that had been coming undone all day. Reaching up she pulled out the pins and tried to make the curls look presentable.

"You look beautiful." Jason got that his girl was on the verge of panic.

"I've been unpacking boxes all day. There is no way that is true." Liz put some antibacterial gel on her hands to clean them. "I don't have time to change though. I don't even have time to put on lip gloss."

"Why is she here?" Jason walked over and hugged Elizabeth hoping to calm her some.

"I have no idea." Liz shook her head. "I don't think this is about my entry. Normally you get a call and then a letter." She bit her lower lip. "Do you think this means I didn't win, but she still wanted to see my clothes."

"I don't know what this means, but talking to her will give you some answers." Jason responded while rubbing Elizabeth's back. He knew Kate Howard was one of his girlfriend's idols in the fashion world. He just hoped she was nice.

"Good point." Liz said taking a deep breath. She stepped back and looked over to see a well-dressed older woman standing in the entry way to the studio. "Ms. Howard."

"Hello Elizabeth. May I call you Elizabeth?" Kate asked taking in the messy space. "I was told to come up."

"Uh." Liz said gathering her thoughts. "Elizabeth, or Liz, is fine. I was planning for us to talk one level down. It's not as cluttered."

"That's fine, but so here if it's easier." Kate said with a smile. "I know this is your opening weekend, so I figured you were juggling a lot of different balls. Also to be honest this isn't that cluttered. You should see my office the night before we put an issue to bed. It's like a paper bomb went off. The creative process is not always neat. I don't trust people who have spotless offices."

"Have a seat." Liz pointed to the armchair. Since Ms. Howard was up here they may as well stay. "We may get interrupted as the store is about to close." The staff knew what to do, but Summer might want to check in. "Can I get you a beverage?" Liz had a small refrigerator with drinks.

"Just an introduction." Kate looked at the handsome blonde.

"This is my boyfriend Jason Morgan." Liz smiled over at him. "Jason, this is Ms. Kate Howard."

"Kate is fine." The older woman accepted the handshake that was extended. "You are probably wondering why I'm here."

"Yes. I am." Liz wiped her damp palms on her pants.

"I wanted to talk to you. I'm pushy enough to make sure I get what I want." Kate said leaning on the arm of the chair which brought her closer to Liz. "I've been watching you for a while now. You, Elizabeth, are very talented. Very talented." She repeated slower. "The website has allowed me to track your evolution as a designer, and when you submitted sketches I got another look at where you are going. As a brand, and as an artist. I was very impressed." Kate didn't believe in beating around the bush.

"That you for the nomination for Young Designer of the Year." Liz had also sent a thank you card, but she didn't know if Kate read her own mail.

"You're welcome, but I don't deserve thanks. It was earned." Kate said smiling. "That's why I've dropped in on you without an invitation. That and I wanted to see the store." She wanted to see the live versions of the sketches.

"Oh." Liz thinking that she had lost and Kate was being kind enough to break the news in person. Honestly to have the owner and editor in chief of Crimson in her workroom was just as good as an award.

Kate just smiled. "I very selfishly wanted to come and tell you in person, that you won. In both categories." The magazine owner had backed Elizabeth from the moment the submission came in. No one else was going to win these awards and when the voting started Kate made sure her other Fashion Council members knew how she felt. Rarely did they agree on anything as a group. That meeting room held a lot of egos, but the majority of them already agreed with Kate. Liz was something special, and they saw that.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that." Liz could not have heard the other woman correctly. Looking over at Jason she saw her guy was smiling wide.

"Congratulations." Kate said taking in the moment that was going to change everything for Liz. From her purse she removed the official paperwork. "I'm staying at the Metro Court Hotel, and I'd like to meet for lunch tomorrow, at one, to discuss your interview with Crimson. I'll also give you the name of your contact for the fashion week show you'll be putting together. Now, I'll give you some time to process your win, and I want to go make a purchase in the store before it closes." Kate said with a chuckle. "I'm not walking out of here without that blue silk top. Not gonna happen." The editor got to her feet. "Elizabeth I'll see you tomorrow, Jason it was a pleasure to meet you." With that she left.

"I won. You heard her say that right?" Liz wanted to know.

"I did hear her say that." Jason was letting his girl have a moment to process what she had been told.

Liz brought stunned eyes to Jason's face. "I'm going to be in Crimson magazine. My clothes are going to be in Crimson Magazine."

It didn't surprise him that she would mention the article and not the money. He remembered the conversation they had while in Puerto Rico where she said the exposure was worth more than the cash. "You'll be on the cover too don't forget that, and we get to go to New York." Not to sightsee, but so that she could work.

"You're coming with me?" Liz should have known that would be the case.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss this for anything. I'm willing to be bet that everyone is going to fly down when you have your show. This is huge and our family will want to celebrate with us." Jason knew that not having her parents there was going to hurt on some level. Having everyone else there would ease that pain. "When you get the dates let me know. I'll make sure everyone else is told. Want another party?"

"No." Liz shook her head still trying to process this. "I'm partied out." There would be at the least a dinner in her honor when they got closer to fashion week. "I'd like to set up the tent. That will be the perfect celebration. It doesn't need to be fancy like before. I just want to mark this occasion with you."

"Then that's what we'll do." Jason promised her. He was still going to arrange a nice meal and have it sent over. "Start shutting things down up here so we can leave when your staff does."

"Yeah." Liz said looking around at the space. "Work isn't going to happen now. I'll be lucky if I even sleep tonight." Her eyes landed on the table. "I never read the letter."

Jason grabbed it and handed it over.

Liz's smile got wider with each word she read. The name of who to contact to claim both prizes was on the letter and she would do that tomorrow, to get the ball rolling. After her lunch with Kate Howard. Putting the letter in her purse Liz walked over to the box she had been removing items from. The quiet with Jason tonight was just what was needed after the stellar highs of today. Time alone with him always the perfect way to celebrate anything.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	34. Chapter 34

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thank you Asug!

* * *

Chapter 34

The plane touched down and everyone removed their seatbelts. Everyone was Liz, Jason, Max, Milo, Rory, and Paulie. The six travelers walked out of the aircraft to find a small greeting party awaiting them. Keys to cars were turned over and while she was getting in the passenger seat of her car Liz heard some laughter coming from the security teams.

"You okay over there?" Jason asked once he was behind the wheel. Liz had been quiet since they left for the airport back home. He was thinking it was because they were leaving for New York, but wanted to check in just in case he was wrong.

"Yeah." Liz leaned her head back and looked over at her boyfriend. "It comes in waves. The realization that I'm putting on a show during fashion week. Right after Kate left I pushed it out of my mind because it was a little distracting. In the best possible way, but I just couldn't concentrate on anything else when it popped into my brain." Liz tried to explain what she was feeling.

After their lunch Liz bought the editor back to the boutique and they walked the store room brainstorming about what looks to show. Kate had made sure Liz knew that she had the final say, and to not let anyone else push her around. In some regards Liz had it easy in that she would be showing looks from her current collection. Most designer debuted looks during this week. If Liz ever got invited back she would move into that category.

Jason nodded understanding what she was talking about. They hadn't really discussed the upcoming show much. This was not an area he could offer any help. All he could do was give her his support. He was giving his girl space to get ready, but from time to time he would walk in the room to find her with a shocked look on her face. She was still processing. That wouldn't change for a while now. Even once the show was over she would have things to process.

"Even when I wasn't thinking about it, this show was affecting everything else. I had lunch with Em to talk about the Deception ads, and I had looks that I didn't share because they would be in the show." Liz explained to him. "After that I pushed it away again, then I got a call from Venus and it came rushing back that I had a show at fashion week." Venus was Kate's right hand gal, and Liz's contact for everything happening in Manhattan this week. The other woman was super nice, and Liz was grateful for all her help. This was something much easier to navigate with someone who was in the know.

Jason followed the car with Max and Rory as they headed to their accommodations. "It's a lot to take in. Any time you do something for the first time it can be scary. That feeling might have been magnified by the fact that you were doing everything on your own." He looked over as he stopped at a light. With no assistant meant his girl was arranging the show, keeping an eye on her store, working with Deception, and still creating clothes. He knew she was giving more consideration to hiring an assistant sooner rather than later. "Your next show will much easier to fit into the schedule."

Liz just laughed. "My next show." She repeated his words. "Let me survive this one first. Leading up to this trip I was convinced that my clothes wouldn't show up, which doesn't make sense because I knew we were bringing them with us. Now I just need to worry my models won't make it." She had four models she normally used on her site. When Karen stepped down to work on her business, Liz hired someone new to take her place and things moved forward. For fashion week she was presenting twenty looks so more models had to be hired, and then have their outfits altered. Interviewing the girls the agency sent over had been time consuming. That was what had Liz considering getting an assistant now.

"We are flying the models down, so don't worry about that." Jason had helped wherever he could. Renting a plane for the models, their parents where necessary, and the glam squad had not been a problem. "Elton was apparently thrilled that you are using Deception cosmetics for your show."

"One hand washing and all that." Liz wouldn't have used anyone else. "Now that Em is working there it was a no brainer." In the almost month since Kate's surprise visit to Port Charles things had changed. Alexis has a nice big belly, she and baby girl Corinthos were doing great. Carly and AJ announced they were expecting which had been celebrated. Johnny and Karen were doing great, same with all the other couples. Life in upstate New York was pretty dang wonderful.

"I have lots of samples of Deception to give out at the after party. Kate said stepping out with such an established and well-known brand will only help my brand's image." Liz was going to make the most of this week. Networking was going to happen, and she was okay with that. Like she told Jason, awards weren't the goal. However success for her company was.

Jason was thinking that this week his girlfriend was going to be very much in demand. They were going to a party every night. Johnny had laughed his ass off when he learned that. Only for Elizabeth would Jason do this much socializing. Talking to people wasn't going to be the pain, it was the week of suits Jason wasn't looking forward to. "Your talent is what will help your image's brand. You make good clothes, and don't charge people outrageous amounts of money for them. People will notice and respect that." Yes some of Elizabeth's clothes were more expensive than others, but there were things on the site that everyone could afford.

"Where are we?" Liz asked as they pulled into an underground garage.

"We are at East 58th Street." Jason followed Max to the reserved parking spaces. The guard had flown down last week to do a walkthrough of the space. Upstairs there would be a guard from the Jameson family who controlled the territory. The guards that had been at the airport worked for that family.

"We aren't staying at a hotel?" They were at a private high rise residence.

Jason parked and turned the car off before looking at his girl. "I believe in you. Which is something you know." As he watched she nodded and smiled. "I know that you have no desire to move to New York, for which I am grateful. I also know that New York has a lot of people you need to keep in contact with. Some of that can be done via email, phone calls, and skyping." Owning an international business Jason knew that in today's age a lot of his work was done over the internet. It would be the same for Elizabeth. "From time to time you will need to be here for work. The plane will be at your disposal when you have to fly down. I'll come with you when I can, but when I can't its imperative for me to know you are safe. That starts with where you are staying. A hotel isn't going to cut it. Not if you need to come down often." He was guessing that she would be down here at least every few months.

"You bought an apartment." Liz knew where this was going.

"I bought a floor." Jason corrected with a grin.

"An entire floor?" Liz shifted so that she was facing him fully. "Seriously?" New York real estate was not cheap so this was surprising.

"That sounds more impressive than it is. There are only four units on the floor we'll be staying on. I bought them all because they are all currently empty. One is ours, one is for the guards. I sold one to Diane, because she comes down a lot for business and to socialize. The last one I sold to Sonny because when the families meet its generally in New York." Maximus liked the city very much. "It also means I know who your neighbors are." Again that had to be considered when they were done here.

"Anytime any of us comes down we now have a home base." Liz saw how that would work. It was also telling because he didn't even own homes in most of the places he had businesses. For her he decided that they needed to own a home. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come on up. You can tell me what you think. The units are all furnished. I had new mattresses delivered for all the bedrooms and that's it." Jason took her hand in his as they went to the elevator where the guys were waiting.

* * *

They were now residents of the Sutton Place neighborhood, meaning they were minutes from anything she might want to do. Walking into the unit she had been greeted with fresh flowers and a copy of Crimson with her on the cover. A copy of her itinerary for the week was in an envelope next to the bouquet. She had gotten it in an email two weeks ago, and was already tired just thinking of that many hours in heels.

Now Liz was on the balcony looking at the east side of Midtown Manhattan. If she stood up she could see the lush green of Central Park. This was going to be one of her favorite spots in the apartment in warmer months. In colder months she would have plenty of space inside so that feeling cramped wouldn't happen. They had three bedrooms, one of which was going to become an office for her. "Meeting done?"

"Yeah." Jason sat down next to her. "The guys are betting how long it will take me to curl up in a ball and cry from all the parties."

"They haven't talked to Milo then." Liz was laughing. "I gave him instructions that he is to keep everyone away from you this week."

"No one is interested in me that will help. I'll just stand there and look pretty." Jason said with a wide smile. "I'm also around for purse holding, if you need that."

"I'll keep that in mind. We don't have anything planned tonight. Want to walk around the neighborhood?" She needed to know where the grocery store was.

"Paulie can play tour guide. He grew up around here." Jason stood up and helped Elizabeth to her feet. Tonight would be relaxing because tomorrow they were going to be guests at three different fashion shows. It was going to be a crazy week.

* * *

Venus waited until Elizabeth finished inspecting the outfit that was on the model. Yesterday they had done their rehearsal and now it was show time. The green dress was beautiful, and Venus saw it yesterday as Elizabeth did a check to make sure all the looks were accounted for. Venus had not hesitated to whip out her phone, go onto the Audrey March website and buy that dress. It was going to sell out, she had been doing this long enough to spot a winner.

Elizabeth was coming into the week with high expectations having been placed on her. The eyes of the fashion community were on her because Kate did not make it a habit of backing designers. As the editor of the foremost fashion magazine out there she did her best to stay neutral. However when she saw someone with exceptional talent she spoke up. Kate's last pick had been Angel Ellis, and now the designer was a house hold name. Venus could already tell that her boss had picked another winner.

"Hi." Liz smiled at Venus. The other woman had been very patient with her. "I'm being overly critical. Considering I did the adjustments you would think I would be satisfied."

"There is nothing wrong with making sure everything is just so. There are a lot of people with cameras out there, and the HD lenses pick up every detail." Venus said smiling. She had enjoyed working with Liz this week. Considering her level of talent the designer had zero ego. "I just wanted to let you know the last of the girls are in hair and makeup."

Liz nodded still looking the outfit over. "Thank you." That meant they were going to be heading over to the dressing area shortly. None of the girls were doing more than one look because Kate suggested that each outfit be displayed again during the final walk. That was when Elizabeth would go out and take her bow, and she would be wearing one of her looks to close the show. "Also thank you for your help this week. It was invaluable." Venus had been her escort to the shows and after parties.

"You're welcome." The red head replied smiling. There it was again, that lack of ego. She would eat her phone if Liz ever changed. Some people were changed by being in the industry. The petite woman in front of her wouldn't be. "How are you doing?"

"Terrified." Liz said with a wide smile. "I have the Friday night slot at fashion week." As the Young Designer of the Year she got the coveted time. The Designer of the Year got the best spot of the week, Saturday night. This year it was Angel Ellis, and Liz was super excited to go to that show tomorrow. She would be sitting front row center, next to Kate. They were best seats in the house. "At the same time I stand by my designs. This is me, and this is what I do. I'm confident in what I'm presenting."

"Good." Venus had to smile. There was nothing wrong with being proud of what you had created. It's when you decided the universe revolved around you that problems started. "The seats are all filling up now. Your personal guests are all here." Liz had a lot of support from her home town. "We have another staff member who is on standby to escort everyone to the shuttle that will take them to the after party."

Liz would get to the celebration late because she had a host of interviews to do once her show was completed. By then she would be in the outfit she had selected for herself. Right now she was in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. With a nod she let the model leave and opened the final garment bags. She was showing four looks from active wear, four from her everyday line, four from corporate, and four of her gowns. "My friends are excited to be here." They had arrived last night and Sonny had made dinner in his unit. "They are hoping for some celebrity sightings." Since Kate was going to be at the party there was a chance that might happen.

"Want to take a peek at out front?" Venus asked since Liz had a free minute.

"Yeah." Getting a glimpse of Jason would relax her. He wasn't backstage because honestly he would just be in the way. Liz peeked through the heavy curtain that the models would walk through. Her guy was sitting front row on the right side of the catwalk. Emily was on one side of him, and Lila was on the other. The rest of the crew filled in the first and second rows, with folks who bought tickets behind them.

Looking to the left Liz's eyes got wide. Kate was seated in the center of the front row, that wasn't surprising. On her right was Angel Ellis. "Angel Ellis is here." Liz said turning and looking at Venus. "I didn't know she was coming."

"We weren't sure she was going to make it." Venus explained. Normally it would be hard to fit someone in the day of the show, but they just bumped someone else. Brenda Barrett had wanted a ticket, but the model was on Kate's shit list at the moment so they told her no.

"That's not surprising, her show is tomorrow night." Liz hadn't gone to any shows yesterday because of prep. She looked back at the audience.

The other designer really wanted to be at this show, but Venus wasn't going to mention that and make Liz even more nervous. Angel was a big fan of Audrey March.

"She's wearing one of my dresses!" Liz said telling herself to breathe and to not go all fangirl backstage at her own show. "From last fall." Angel Ellis was in something she created. Elizabeth looked closer at Kate, and the editor was also in an Audrey March dress. "Wow. I'm gonna need a minute."

"Sorry, you don't have one." Venus said looking over her shoulder. "A model just came in from hair and makeup."

"Actually that's good." Liz said walking away from the curtain. "Keeping busy will stop me from thinking." She grabbed needed outfit and helped her model get dressed.

* * *

The music started and Liz took a deep breath. This was it. The moment she checked another item off of her professional bucket list. Even if she never got an invite back to fashion week, she was here now. The girls were lined up and ready to go. Hair and makeup was fairly tame, based on some of the other shows Liz had gone to. But over the top didn't fit with her clothes. No matter what she had promised herself that she was going to stay true to who she was. She wasn't going to try to be anyone else. Now she was standing to the side watching as the first model approached the curtain, because she wouldn't be the one sending the girls down the runway.

"Here we go." Venus looked at over at Elizabeth. "Congratulations."

"Thank you for all the hard work you put in this week." Liz could feel her eyes burning as she talked to the other woman. Looking over her shoulder she smiled at her guy. Once everything calmed down, about ten minutes ago, she realized she wanted Jason here with her. He didn't hesitate to come back stage to basically hold her hand. "Thanks, for everything." She told him. The list of all the ways he had been there for her was too long to go into right now. But he knew what he brought to her life, because she told him every day.

"You're welcome." Jason kissed her forehead. He was hanging back, and trying to stay out of the way.

Liz faced front and watched the show runner nod sending the first model out. Her show had started, and there was no going back now. Oddly enough now that she couldn't make any more changes, now that things were out of her hands the tension left her. The first model returned with a huge smile on her face and the second look was underway.

* * *

When the last model stepped out the hair and makeup team touched up Elizabeth's look. When they were done she gave herself a quick look in the mirror. Her outfit choice was a black sleeveless wrap style tuxedo dress with a pleated skirt from her current line. She had paired it with black and white shoes, her ring, and her Gram's earrings. It was a polished and sophisticated first look at the designer behind the brand. It was also a complete three sixty from the look she sported in her Crimson magazine where she had on jeans and one of her tops. The choices were deliberate. Liz wanted to let everyone know there was more than one side to her.

Jason dropped her a wink when she turned back around. Elizabeth just beamed with the silent praise. Walking over she linked her fingers with his as the final model returned. "I did it." Her show was almost over.

"Never had a doubt." Jason always believed in her. "Go take your bow. You've earned it."

Liz nodded and walked over to stand behind the last of her models. Once again they filed out, this time in a single line while applauding. When the show runner nodded the curtain opened one final time and Liz walked out to a standing ovation.

* * *

"Okay, that was the last of the interviews." Venus had been ushering the reporters in and out of the press area. "You did very well."

"It helped that I spent most of the time talking about something I am passionate about." Liz had struggled some on the questions about herself. It just felt odd to have strangers wanting to know about her. Realistically most of the time they wouldn't care about her, but right now she was in the spotlight. From this week Liz learned that talking about her clothes and future collections was much easier.

"Now you can sit back and enjoy the weekend." Venus figured there would still be reporters who wanted to talk to Liz, but her official duties were done. "I'll see you at the party." The official reception for this show was at the Crimson building.

"How are you getting over?" Liz wanted to make sure Venus wasn't going to be trying to flag down a cab.

"A car is waiting for me, thanks." Venus gave a wave before going to get the rest of her items.

"How are we getting to the party?" Liz asked her guy who had been patiently waiting for her for the last hour.

"Limo." Jason had been texting with the guys while waiting for his girlfriend. The crew was at the party sending over pictures of the celebrities they were meeting. He learned earlier in the week that a lot of famous people flocked to New York for these shows.

"I'm going to have to stay at the party until it ends." She as they grabbed her garment bag. "Sorry I've been ignoring you all night."

"You haven't been ignoring me." Jason cleared that up immediately. "You were working." When they went to business dinners the situation would be reversed, and he knew Elizabeth wouldn't complain. "I enjoyed sitting back and watching everyone give you the adoration you deserve."

Liz just laughed at that statement. Jason was the only person whose adoration she wanted. She passed the garment bag with the clothes she wore over to their driver who would put it in the trunk. Her guy opened the door and she got inside the vehicle. "Jason." She said softly looking at the interior. The seat opposite where they were sitting was covered in flowers.

"You need your hands free, so I thought I'd put the flowers here." He said sitting next to her. "They are all in pots, and when we get home tonight we'll take them up to the units. They can go on the balconies." Right now there weren't any plants in the outside space.

"I would love that." Liz leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss. "This has been an amazing night, in what has been an amazing week. Having you beside me every step of the way has meant everything to me."

"I'll always do my best to be there when you need me. As far as I'm concerned it's my primary purpose in life." Jason lifted her hand and kissed below where his ring was resting. "Now it's time to party."

"Yes, it is." Liz leaned into him. It was time to celebrate with everyone who loved her. They had dropped everything to come witness this moment in her life. They would be there tomorrow when she officially received her Young Designer of the Year award at the Fashion Council luncheon. Everyone was making it clear that they supported her dream. Now though, now they were waiting for her to join them, and she was anxious to hear what they thought of the show. This was her night, and she wasn't ever going to forget a second of it.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	35. Chapter 35

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 35

"That dress is amazing." Emily told Nadine who had just gotten into her gown.

"The scrubs do you a disservice because they hide all your curves. Of course you might just kill the patients if they knew." Georgie commented from her spot in the glam area. Her makeup was done and they were putting the last minute touches on her hair. Once that was done she would slip into her gown.

Liz moved to the other side of her friend and snapped a picture. Nadine didn't feel comfortable having the photographer they hired in the room while she was in her robe. So he was taking pictures of the guys. Liz volunteered to document what was happening in the bridal suite so that her friend would have these memories. The bonus was that Liz went through getting glammed first, so she could man the camera, and got it over with.

"What do you think Liz?" Nadine was loving how she looked. She had a bit of princess vibe going, but on the modern end of the spectrum. There was enough volume to the skirt to make it feel bridal, but not so much that she resembled a cake topper.

"I look calm on the outside, but inside I am seriously fangirling over this gown." Liz grinned behind the camera. "She is brilliant." Also very nice. The two designers had snagged a corner at the party after Liz's fashion week show, and talked for almost an hour. Luckily it was as the party was winding down so Liz wasn't ignoring anyone. They had a similar pow wow after Angel's show the next night.

The dropped waisted dress looked like it had been made specifically for Nadine. The bodice had a sprinkling of embellishments to catch the eye, but not enough to make the bride look like a sparkling nightmare. She had shared that the gown was made so that it could have straps or sleeves if the bride wanted, but she opted not to. If they were having a church service then she would have gone for more coverage. However they were having the ceremony in the ballroom of the Metro Court Hotel so Nadine had left her shoulders bare.

"I'm glad that you like your gown." Nadine stood still while the makeup artist did some touch ups.

"The green is stunning." Liz put her camera down for the moment so that Nadine could relax. The bridal party had worked hard to make sure their bride enjoyed the run up to the ceremony. So it was time to stop taking pictures for a bit. "I called Angel and raved about it for like an hour."

The dress was a deep rich forest green which was a wonderful contrast to the white of the bridal gown. The bridesmaids' gowns had sleeves which were fashioned from the chiffon that created the bodice, giving them another point of contrast. The sweetheart neckline and high waist ensured that it would look good on a variety of body types. Nadine had gifted the ladies pearl earrings, and the bridesmaids had gone out as a group to pick matching shoes. To tie the entire bridal party together they were all wearing the same pearl necklace.

"You guys are phone buddies now?" Emily teased her friend. She was happy that Liz got to meet her designer idol, and that the other woman was nice.

"We are." Liz really liked Angel. It was nice to have someone to talk to who understood the ups and downs of the industry. Angel was based in California so they didn't see each other that often, but they did talk a couple of times a month. They were going to meet up for dinner during spring/summer fashion week. They would also be going to one another's shows. The fact that Liz had gotten invited back to hold another show had almost made her pass out after the call.

"Looking good." Nadine commented as Georgie came out in her gown. "I think its selfie time." She got out her phone and snapped some pics. Her friends did the same. "Are you sending one to Carly?"

"Yeah." Liz had her phone in her hand. Their friend was in the hospital on bedrest because of blood pressure issues. Her due date was approaching and her doctor was worried about preeclampsia.

"I'll tell AJ to check her phone." Emily said with a smirk. "He took it from her because she was stressing over the wedding prep."

"Why? Nadine is probably the most laid back bride ever." Georgie pointed out.

"Carly is a perfectionist. We all know that." Liz said with a shrug. "With the wedding being for a friend of hers that kicked into overdrive."

"I'm sure everything is going to be perfect. As long as Cody and I get married I don't care if the roof caves in." Nadine just wanted to be Mrs. Cody Paul; that was all that mattered.

"You're the first one of us to get married." Liz smiled at her friend. Carly was a late comer to their group so Elizabeth was talking about the original four friends.

"I thought for sure it would be Em." Nadine looked over at her friend.

"We all did." Emily said laughing. Her last serious boyfriend turned out to be more toad than prince. "I think we can all agree that I dodged a bullet there. I'm kind of surprised that my brother and Liz aren't hitched yet." The business executive looked at her friend.

"True." Nadine nodded while she grinned. "I thought for sure they were going to show up at Christmas sporting bands."

"That was a hint in case you missed it." Emily was tired of waiting. So was her mother.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Liz asked with a bright smile. If nothing else this conversation let her know the family was not going to give them grief for eloping.

"Smartass." Emily said trying not to laugh. "The sooner you get married, the sooner you can start popping out kids."

"That wasn't at all subtle." Georgie said laughing.

Nadine was cracking up as well. "Emily doesn't do subtle anymore. She's been corrupted by Carly. You could always get married and take the spotlight off of Liz." The bride looked over at her friend.

Emily had a very nice ring from John, but it wasn't an engagement ring. So Monica was not so patiently waiting for that. Nadine knew because she had scrubbed in for surgery with the Chief of Staff last week. At the sink the topic of talk was the upcoming wedding, and the lack of upcoming weddings.

"Georgie could get married and take the pressure off of me." Emily shot back.

"How is my getting married going to help you?" Georgie gave her fellow brunette a quizzical look. "I'm not a Quartermaine."

"Also the more weddings Monica attends the harder she glares at both of us. I swear that is where Jason gets it from." Liz said giving up and laughing. "Nadine is making us look bad."

"I'm the bride, you can't blame anything on me today." Nadine gave them her best diva look. "Talk about me badly tomorrow while I'm on the beach in Puerto Rico." Instead of having the bachelor and bachelorette parties in the tropical paradise the soon to be Pauls were honeymooning there. The entire crew had flown to Vegas for the parties, and Nadine did great on the plane.

"We'll meet up for breakfast and trash you." Liz told Nadine picking up the camera once more. It was time for more photos to help her friend remember the day.

* * *

"I'm so happy for them." Liz was watching their friends dance from Jason's arms. The ceremony had been beautiful, and now they were in hour three of the reception. Their friends had done all the special dances and cut the cake. Shortly they would finish up their duties and then leave for their honeymoon. They were taking the Corinthos/Morgan jet and were staying in Jason's private suite at the casino so they could enjoy the resort.

"Cody was practically floating before the ceremony he is so happy." Jason looked over at the newly married couple, and then looked back at his girl. He knew how his friend was feeling. "Did my dad bring up us getting married when you two danced?"

"Nope." Liz smiled up at her guy. "Edward did though. He didn't even beat around the bush, just came out and asked if we planned on making this legal anytime soon."

Jason laughed, he couldn't help it. "Monica did the same thing. Only she went the making an honest woman out of you route."

"How very last century of her." Liz just shook her head. "If it makes you feel any better your sister is getting the same treatment."

"I know, but she isn't as respectful as I am." Jason said with a wide smile. "Grandmother said Em told Edward off last week at dinner when he brought up her and John getting married sooner rather than later. I think my parents just want more grandchildren."

"So by not getting married we are making AJ look good?" Liz asked with a smirk.

"Never looked at it that way." Jason nodded his head. "For once I think he's the only one not in trouble." AJ's history in the family was a rough one. "I'm betting that he is hoping that we won't get married anytime soon. I'm guessing he is enjoying the view from the pedestal."

"I'm in no rush." Liz assured her guy. However if he asked her tomorrow she would say yes. The point was that she didn't need a wedding band to validate what they had. Their relationship spoke for itself. "I'm excited to go to Italy." They were leaving after the reception ended and taking the other Corinthos/Morgan jet.

"Will I have time to show you around?" Jason wanted to know.

"I'm going to make sure of it." Liz let him know. They were both going for business purposes. She had been invited to attend Milan's fashion week by several different designers. Angel and Kate would also be in attendance. This was another opportunity for Liz to sell her brand and to network with others in the industry. Unlike fashion week in New York she would be spending a good portion of her time alone. Since she wasn't showing anything her guy didn't need to go to the shows or parties.

"Good, there are some things that shouldn't be missed since we will be there." Jason was going for a series of meetings with allies, and with the Don. For the first three days of the trip they wouldn't even see one another because he would be flying to other regions within the country while she was at fashion week. Then she had another two days of shows and parties. He was attending the final party with her, and then they would have the weekend to sightsee. "We'll go for a longer stay later in the year."

"I like the sound of that." Liz said stepping back and clapping as the band finished their song.

The MC announced that it was time for the single ladies to gather for the throwing of the bouquet. Nadine insisted that her friends be in the group because they were all technically single. In relationships yes, married no. Since it was her day they didn't argue but all three of them were standing in the back of the good sized crowd. Which didn't do a bit of good as the bundle of flowers landed right in Elizabeth's arms.

"Better you than me." Emily said with a grin as she went to find her guy, and avoid her family members.

Liz moved off the floor to go stand beside Jason. "I think Nadine did that on purpose. She's the pitcher on the hospital softball team and her aim is legendary." The nurse held the league records for most strikes.

"We'll be fine as long as I don't catch the garter belt." Jason was laughing as something hit him square in the chest. Out of reflex he raised his hand to find he was holding the very item he was just talking about. Looking up he saw the wide grin on Cody's face and knew this was intentional. "I guess I don't have to worry about you dancing with anyone else now."

"That's one way to look at it. I'm not going to another meal at the mansion any time soon." Liz smiled as the photographer came over to take their picture. "Come on, let's do this and then go hide." She said as the music started.

* * *

Jason twirled her around the dance floor to the number selected by the newlyweds. He expected something slow because that was all he had been dancing to all night. Since he wasn't in the groom's party he didn't have to dance to the upbeat number that played when the entire bridal party took to the floor. Cody clearly had other ideas as Ray LaMontagne's You Are the Best Thing came on. It wasn't exactly a quick tempo, but it was faster than what Jason would have picked. The fact that Jason Quartermaine had taken years of ballroom dancing lessons was certainly paying off now.

Liz was trying not to laugh at the look on her boyfriend's face. He was doing fine with the song, it was just not the hold your girl tight and sway style he liked. The lyrics however were a perfect fit. From this point forward she would always think of him whenever she heard it. "We survived." They moved to the side of the dance floor as everyone applauded.

"Yeah." Jason didn't like being the center of attention, but the smile on Elizabeth's face made it worth it. He was going to get Cody, when his friend got back because the MC just announced that the bride and groom had snuck off. "Alice is flagging us down." Together they walked over to where Lila's companion was waiting. "Yes."

"Mrs. Lila would like to see you." Alice said before walking out of the ballroom, silently saying they should follow.

* * *

"Hello." Jason kissed her check before Liz did. "Enjoy your dance?" They were in the open reception space outside the ballroom, where hors d'oeuvres were served earlier in the evening.

"It was fun." Liz answered for them. "Have you been enjoying the night?" They weren't sitting near the family, but had checked in a few times.

"I am. I asked you to meet me out here to give you the chance to run." Lila said with an unrepentant grin. "If you stay in there Monica or Edward is going to bring up the fact that according to tradition you should be the next to marry. Since Cody and Nadine are gone, you two can also leave without being rude."

A wide smile split Jason's face. "You are the perfect partner in crime."

"I know." Lila said looking angelic. "Bring me some lemon sweets from Italy."

"Done." Liz wanted to be just like Lila when she grew up. "Shall we love?" She asked Jason.

"Yup." He kissed his girl's friend and headed for the elevator. "I'll text the guys and tell them to meet us at the plane." Which was how everyone else would learn they had left.

* * *

"So can you have a show here, or is this just for Italian designers?" Jason wanted to know. They had arrived in Milan last night and this morning Elizabeth was heading off to the first of the shows she was invited to. He was heading off to the first of his meetings.

"Any designer can show anywhere in the world. It's just a matter of getting an invitation. There are four big shows each year, and each one has a different vibe and feel to it." Liz explained over breakfast. "Milan is considered to be the commercial heart of the fashion industry. The really big names often show here. Paris is known more for its couture looks. The stuff you think is weird." She added laughing. "London tends to have a more edgy feel. Looks geared more toward a younger demographic. New York tends more toward everyday looks, real world fashion. I would probably go to London if I had a show outside of the states. But I'm not in a rush for that." She was doing fine with New York.

"Your friend Angel is showing here in Milan." Jason hadn't realized that.

"Yeah. Not her wedding gowns though. They are strictly New York. She did a collaboration with another brand and that is what I will see this week. I have a front row seat to that show and I can't wait." Liz knew the looks would be amazing. She was sitting next to Kate for that one.

The closer you sat to the front the more important a guest you were. Jason knew that. When he went over security with Max, who was going to the shows, Jason learned his girl only had first and second row seats. Even when she wasn't with Kate people wanted Elizabeth seen at their shows. That showed that his girlfriend's star was definitely still rising. So did the numerous garment bags that were waiting in the suite. For each day of shows a different designer was dressing her. On Friday night when they went to the wrap party for the last of the shows she was visiting she would be wearing two different looks from one fashion house.

"Did you pick the clothes you are wearing?" Jason wanted to know. In New York she wore what she wanted when they went to the venues. Generally something from her own line, but if she owned something from the designer they were watching she wore that.

"Yeah." Liz finished her tea, it was almost time to get dressed. "When the labels reached out with offers to dress me I was given a link to peruse the looks they wanted to see me in. Then I just picked. They sent them over, and I tailored them to fit if it was needed." Without changing the design. "The shoes were the only reason I agreed to come over." Liz said laughing. One of the biggest names in footwear would be on her feet all week.

Jason looked up at the clock. "I need to get going." His meeting today was in Palermo. He wouldn't be back until late, which was fine because she had a cocktail party this evening. "I love you." He said dropping a kiss on her lips.

"I love you too. See you tonight." Liz watched him go, enjoying him in his suit. She put her dishes on the room service cart and pushed it out into the hall. It was time to get dressed and go see some pretty clothes.

* * *

"We don't have to stay for the entire party." Liz let him know as they rode down to the limo that was waiting in the garage. Fashion week, at least for her, was done. She had attended her last show a few hours ago and retreated to their hotel suite for some quiet. After a week of socializing she just needed some silence. Her guy was reading so she had stretched out on the couch with her head on his lap and relaxed. Then she took a soak before getting ready to go out again.

"Who is this party for?" Jason wanted to know. While he knew a lot more about fashion now, he still hadn't heard of all the brands being shown this week.

"This is the brand that Angel was working with. I'm wearing something from that collection." Liz pointed to her dress. The garment was the only thing that she hadn't picked out. Angel had sent it over, and requested that Elizabeth wear it to the party.

The red sleeveless sheath dress with an intricate lace overlay, was stunning. However what made this dress amazing was that it wasn't about the fabric that was draped on your body, but about the woman who was wearing it. For Elizabeth it epitomized why Angel was at the top of their industry. Liz had almost passed out when the other designer said that it was inspired from a conversation the two of them had. This very look had come down the runway at tonight's show.

"I like you in red." Jason had smiled when she walked out of the bedroom.

"I like you in that suit." Liz said with a slow smile. He was a muted charcoal grey with a striped tie. He had gotten very good in picking looks that complemented whatever she was wearing. Sonny had joked that Jason going to end up on the best dressed list at this rate. She had to agree, the man did a fantastic job of advertising a fitted suit. "So from here we go home for a week and then back to New York." He knew the schedule but talking would help her stay calm. She still got nervous going to these events.

"Yeah." Liz was excited for her second show.

"After that we wait to hear that you won the Women's Collection category for two years in a row." He thought she had it in the bag. He was also thinking she would be up for the Young Designer award again next year. You couldn't win it two years in a row. They should look into an award's case for the house.

Liz leaned over and kissed him. He was her biggest cheerleader, and her greatest supporter. Dropping him a kiss she walked out of the elevator heading for the open door of the limo. Tomorrow they were sightseeing and she was looking forward to that.

* * *

"I am not wearing heels for the next week." Liz said as she took off her shoes and let the cold from the marble floor soothe her feet. The party had been fun. Kate and Angel had introduced her to the heads of several iconic Italian fashion houses one of whom was already a fan of her designs. So professionally it had been a win. Personally not so much as she hardly got to spend any time with Jason.

As he locked the door Jason chuckled. He removed his jacket before leaning forward and kissing the back of her neck. Wrapping her up in his arms he enjoyed the silence of their hotel suite. The party had not been as bad as he thought. That had a lot to do with the fact that he knew several people there. Including Maximus. Jason also got the chance to sit back and watch his girl work the room. "You were sexy tonight."

"This dress does bring it." Liz couldn't wait to wear it again.

"It wasn't the dress. It was you. Confidence is sexy." He said kissing the side of her neck this time. "Watching you talk with other designers and editors is a turn on. You light up." He explained what he meant. "A couple of guys said I was lucky when they learned I was with you, and they are correct."

Liz turned in his arms and smiled up at him. "I got the same reaction from a few ladies. One said she was going to try to get your attention anyway, but then she saw how you looked at me and decided it wouldn't work." Liz liked that Jason didn't hide how much she meant to him.

"Come with me." He could just say that no other woman would ever measure up to her, but he had something else in mind. He led her out onto the balcony. It ran the length of the room and offered them a stunning view. Turning to face her he took both of her hands in his. "I love you." He needed to start there and when she went to speak he shook his head to stop her. "I love everything about you. The longer I know you, the more about you I discover to love. I'm not saying you are perfect. That expectation is unfair to put on you. I see your flaws and your edges but they don't diminish the amazing feelings you inspire. Just like I know you love me despite my many, many, many shortcomings." He said laughing which made her laugh despite the fact that she was crying. "I want to spend the rest of my life being amazing by you. Will you, Elizabeth Webber, marry me so that I can do just that?"

"Yes." Liz didn't even need to think about her answer. She also knew that this wasn't the time to tell him how what he just said made her feel. He wanted to give her the words as a gift. One she accepted with a full heart. "I love you." She had to tell him that though. This was the best moment of her life.

"Will you wait here?" Jason asked her. He had been planning to propose before they left Italy, so he came prepared.

"Okay." Liz watched him walk back into their suite. He wasn't gone long and when he returned he took her left hand in his so that he could remove the sapphire she wore. She felt him put another ring on her finger and when he moved his hand she was looking at the most beautiful yellow diamond. Leaning up she kissed him softly.

When they parted he rested his forehead on hers just letting the knowledge that she was his, and he was hers, for the rest of their lives. Without a word he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the suite.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	36. Chapter 36

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 36

"I think we should stay in Italy next week." Jason said pulling his fiancée closer. They were still in bed, spooned up. Yesterday they had a great time sightseeing and just being together. He had caught her looking at her ring from time to time and each time it made him smile.

"We have to go home." Liz answered trying not to laugh. She knew what that was all about. "Carly is having the baby in three days. If we miss it because you are afraid of your mother, your sister in-law will kill you." Carly was having a C-section. The timing just happened to work out well. They would actually be home and Liz wanted to hold her niece or nephew. She also wanted to stop by and visit with her goddaughter Kristina. Alexis and Sonny's daughter was the cutest thing ever.

"I have every right to be afraid of Monica. She's a surgeon, she's knows where all the really painful points on the body are." Jason told Elizabeth.

"Grandmother will protect us." Liz said rolling over so she could face her fiancé. She loved saying that, and couldn't wait to say Jason was her husband. "I have no doubt about that."

"I don't want to drag her into the middle of this. I'm sure she got into trouble for covering our escape." Jason pointed out. He had no doubt that Emily and Alice made sure Lila didn't get too irritated.

Liz had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing. He sounded like he was plotting how to thwart an attack. Life around the Quartermaines was always interesting. She was surprised that they didn't play chess. Then again why use plastic pieces when you had real people to maneuver. However if you came after one of them you found yourself facing them all. When it counted they stuck together. "We should just get married before we leave Italy." She said with a cheeky grin.

"We should." Jason nodded latching onto that idea with both hands. "I'd love for you to be my wife when we went back home, and that doesn't have anything to do with Monica or Edward." He was already impatient to be able to introduce her as his wife.

"We are Americans, which means we can't get married here without jumping through some major hoops." Liz hated to burst his bubble. "For the record I would love to return to the states as Mrs. Jason Morgan." She gave him a kiss. "What would you like to do today?"

"Get married." Jason said with a grin. Now that the idea had been planted in his brain it wasn't letting go. She was right about those hoops, and he was thinking he had a way around them. "I'm sure that Maximus can help us with any red tape." The Don had connections everywhere in Italy.

"I want our marriage recognized when we go home. I'm pretty sure that requires a massive amount of paperwork. That means telling Diane." Alexis was still on maternity leave. "While you fear your mother, I have a healthy fear of your lawyer. I seriously doubt Diane wants this sprung on her." Elizabeth pointed out. "It's also not fair to ask her to keep something like this from Francis. I would like for us to be the ones who make the announcement that we are married."

"I'm not going to spring a thing on her. If we need a lawyer, we can contact Justus. He'll love having one up on the family." Jason said smiling wider. "I need to make a phone call to see if this is even possible. If it is, will you marry me today?" He wanted to know. While they were in agreement about eloping, he wasn't sure what all she wanted at their wedding. With them being in another country familiar touches of home would be absent.

"If it's possible, yes, I will marry you today. Nothing would make me happier." Liz leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "While you are making your call, I need to make one of my own." She had no doubt Jason was going to find a way to make this come about. Which meant she needed a dress. Angel was still in Italy, so Liz was going to see what her friend had to offer. Not a gown, because that just wasn't her. When she saw the dress, she would know it.

Elizabeth smiled as Jason walked out onto the balcony in his robe to make his call. He was speaking Italian. She seriously got a case of the hots when he spoke the language. Yesterday had been wonderful, and yes frustrating because he did a lot of talking so that they could navigate the city. A voice on the other end of the line brought her out of her day dream. "Hi Angel."

"Liz, how is the sightseeing going?" Angel wanted to know. Now that she was established in Italy, being a tourist rarely happened. She sometimes missed that.

"Amazing. Milan is a wonderful city. I know you are busy, but I was wondering if you had time for a favor." Liz was done with fashion week, but Angel was not. She still had several shows to attend, and later today was leaving for the start of Paris's fashion week.

"For the woman who made my website crash because people are already looking for that red dress, absolutely." Angel said laughing. Her site and the site of the brand she was working with both went down briefly as the pre-orders rolled in.

"Well there you go." Liz said laughing. "Glad I could help get your name out there." She said laughing a little harder. "I have a last minute wedding." Phrasing it that way made it sound like they were going to a wedding and not getting married. Liz trusted Angel to stay quiet. It was just until she was sure it was happening Elizabeth didn't want to say anything.

"I can help you there." Angel was in her hotel room, and what she had brought with her was running through her mind. So were the contents of her store here in Milan. There were items from her personal brand that no one had seen yet, because she had opted not to include them in either show. "I will send you a few things, send back what you don't want. Should I send a seamstress?" Liz could adjust anything herself, but if she was pressed for time another set of hands might be nice.

"That would be great thank you." Liz was going to need time to put her look together. Even if she didn't wear the dress today, she could wear it when they got married back home. Or somewhere else. "I'm paying for this one." That was non-negotiable.

"Okay." Angel had gifted Liz the red dress, so she wouldn't argue. "In about an hour okay?"

"Perfect." Liz would hop in the shower when this call was completed. "Thanks."

"No worries. Now I have to go." Angel was looking at her assistant who was motioning that the car was here. "I'm looking forward lunch in New York."

"Me too." Liz was guessing Summer would have the details by they time they returned. With her business done, Elizabeth headed to the bathroom so that she didn't jump her guy.

* * *

Even though the conversation started in Italian they quickly switched to English. The Don liked keeping his language skills sharp so an opportunity to converse in anything other than Italian was always taken advantage of. "What can I do for you Jason?"

"I would like to marry Elizabeth before we return home. As Americans that will take some work." Jason got right to the point of the call.

"Congratulations on your engagement. My Margareta said that your young lady was a delight to speak with." Maximus had been introduced, but didn't spend a lot of time talking with the young designer. "I would love to be of assistance in helping you get married. Italy is a lovely back drop for a wedding."

"I think so." Jason was smiling as he looked over the city. This was one of his favorite places in the world, and he would love to get married here. "Elizabeth does as well."

Having been to Italy so many times, and yes once for a wedding, he knew what the biggest issue was. In Italy it was required that a notification of your intention to marry, called a banns, was hung. It didn't just apply to foreigners, citizens were required to follow these guidelines as well. This let the public know that a couple wished to join their lives together. For a religious ceremony the banns had to hang for two consecutive Sundays before the wedding could take place. For a civil ceremony nothing could take place until the fourth day after the second Sunday had passed. Clearly that was more time than they had. What would work in their favor was that Milan was one of the places that those visiting the country could go to get permission to marry. So no travel would be needed to get the necessary paperwork.

"Would you like a religious or civil ceremony?" Maximus could make either one happen with a minimum of fuss. The Corinthos/Morgan organization had been good to his boys, both Max and Milo had high ranking assignment which meant they were respected. As much as Jason loved Elizabeth he wouldn't place Max there just to make a good impression on this trip. His son would have had to earn that spot.

"Religious would be preferred." Jason replied, they both wanted the union blessed.

"It's a lovely day, an outdoor ceremony could be arranged. With a member of the clergy." Maximus was taking notes. "I will try to find someone who speaks English." Which could be a tall order. Generally priests in Italy spoke Italian and Latin.

"Thank you. I'm sure Elizabeth will not mind it if the ceremony is conducted in Italian." Jason knew that Maximus would do his best.

"I need to make some calls." The Don said already thinking of who could perform the ceremony. "I will be in touch when I have everything arranged."

"Grazie Don Giambetti." Jason made sure to show the proper respect.

"Bring Elizabeth to Palermo when you can. My wife would love to have a longer visit." Maximus said naming his price. He understood that Jason's soon to be wife had a career, so they would need to find a time that worked for them both. "Send pictures as well." He loved weddings.

"I will do both." Jason assured the Don as the called ended. He needed to go find Elizabeth and then head out to do some shopping.

* * *

"You wanted to see us." Max took the lead since he had the most seniority. That their boss wanted to see them all wasn't surprising. There would probably be more sightseeing today before they left.

Jason nodded as he faced the guys. "Elizabeth and I are getting married today." He couldn't help but smile as he said that.

"Congratulations." Max extended his hands and the rest of the crew followed. The new ring on Liz's hand had been noted, but there hadn't been any announcement made so the guys wasn't sure what it meant.

"Do I have to protect you from your mom?" Milo wanted to know.

"Are you scared?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes." Milo didn't hesitate to say. "I have a healthy fear of moms in general. Mainly because I have one." That made the guys laugh, but a few of them were also nodding. "I am also afraid of Diane. Since I'm being honest."

"We are all afraid of Diane." Jason commented. "My mother is going to be happy. So don't worry about that."

"Did you need something from us?" Max wanted to know. The fact that both Jason and Liz were American shouldn't be an issue. "I can call my dad to help if necessary."

"I talked to him before I called this meeting." Jason told Max. "Thank you though. Shopping needs to happen. I need a new suit, and a wedding band for Elizabeth. I'm not sure what she will need."

"I will ask when she comes out." Max told his boss. He and Rory would take her to get whatever was needed. Just then a knock sounded on the closed bedroom door.

Jason walked over. "Hey."

"Hey. I didn't want to disrupt a meeting." Liz let him know why she knocked from inside the bedroom. "Do you have a second?"

"Sure." Jason told her.

"First, can you please let Max know that some dresses and a seamstress will be here in about forty-five minutes? Second I'm making a list of what I will need to run out and get. Would you like a wedding band? If you'd rather not that's fine." Liz let him know. The only jewelry he normally wore was his watch.

"I would very much like a wedding band. I have no idea what size my finger is though." Jason said with a grin.

"I can make a ring out of cardboard to get the correct size." Liz smiled at him. "I just needed to know for my list. That's it." She went to step back but Jason's hand on her hip stopped her.

He leaned down and kissed her. "When I'm done with the guys I'll come find you. After you make the cardboard ring I need to go out."

"Okay." She said smiling and closing the door when he walked away.

"Max, Elizabeth asked me to tell you that dresses and a seamstress are coming here in less than an hour." Jason passed along. "So you don't have to shop for that. She is going to go get me a wedding band though."

"Probably accessories as well." Max added to the list looking over at Rory. "Not a problem."

"Milo, Hank." Jason looked at his security detail. "We can head out shortly." He went into the bedroom to let Elizabeth measure his finger.

"I'll call and let you know when we leave." Max told his boss. When Jason left Max took a seat on the couch to have a quick meeting with the crew.

* * *

Elizabeth looked in the jeweler's case. Wedding bands weren't something that she ever really gave much attention to. However someone had because there were countless varieties for her to choose from. Even after she ruled out the more ornate rings she still had a lot to pick from. He had to wear this for the rest of their lives and she didn't want to screw it up. Of course he loved her, and he would love whatever she picked for him. She knew him better than anyone else, so she could do this. "I'd like to see this one please."

The associate removed the plain platinum band for inspection.

"I'll take it." Liz said nodding. Looking over her shoulder she spoke to Max. "Would you please ask about engraving?"

"She said its fine." Max looked at Elizabeth.

"Ti amo, is I love you. Right?" Liz asked her friend.

"Yup." Max said smiling. "It's one of many ways we express that sentiment here in Italy. Being the most romantic people in the world we have a lot of phrases to express love." He couldn't help but brag on his country a little.

"How would I say that Jason is the love of my life?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Sei l'amore della mia vita." Max gave her the translation.

Liz looked at the ring. "I don't think that will fit."

Max spoke to the sales clerk. "She said it will be tight. You should try something shorter."

"What about my heart is yours?" Liz was trying to sum up what she was feeling.

"Il mio cuore e tua." Max translated before looking at the clerk. Liz would want the feminine adjective since the message was from her. "That will fit." He was guessing it was a common inscription on rings.

"Will an E fit after that?" Liz wanted to know.

Again Max did the translation. "Yup." He said with a smile. "We have been invited to have coffee while they do the engraving. I'll check it when she brings it out to make sure it's correct."

"Thank you Max. I hope this doesn't make you feel awkward." Liz didn't want him uncomfortable.

"Not in the least." He nodded to Rory who had been standing further back so that he could watch the rest of the store. "I'm glad I could help." Max had quickly come to think of Liz like the sister he never had. "Where to after this?" The dress was waiting back in the suite. He hadn't seen it because Liz and the seamstress had been in the bedroom.

"I need heels." Liz said with a wry grin. Her promise to not wear them for a week went right out the window. "Then it's back to the hotel until it's time to get ready." Jason was still waiting to hear back from Maximus.

"My dad will come through." Max promised her.

"I don't doubt that." Liz trusted the older man, because Jason did.

"Once the ring is ready, I'll take you to get shoes." Max said escorting her to the sitting area where they would wait.

* * *

"Has Jason left?" Liz cracked open the door to the bedroom.

"About five minutes ago." Max responded from his spot on the couch. He picked up the remote and turned the television off. If Liz was asking that, it meant she was ready to come out of the bedroom.

"Okay." Elizabeth opened the door and stepped out into the main portion of the suite. They had decided not to see one another until they were at the church. Or more precisely the private garden behind the church. Since it was such a glorious day they were having an outdoor ceremony and that meant she didn't need to bring her sweater.

"You look lovely Elizabeth." Max had expected a gown, but that wasn't what she went with.

"Thank you Max." Liz had taken one look at this dress and fallen in love. It was yellow, which wouldn't surprise her soon to be husband. The jacquard fit and flare dress was made from ivory silk and was festooned with a yellow floral print. It had princess seams on the bodice that lined up with the pleats on the skirt. A cutout bared her upper back to give it an unexpected punch of sex appeal. It was the perfect wedding outfit for her.

Max was thinking his boss was going to be struck speechless. "Ready to head out?"

"I am." Liz stopped in the foyer to give her face and hair one more look. Her makeup was light, this was an afternoon wedding after all. Her hair was in a curly chignon with wispy pieces framing her face. Satisfied she walked out of the suite ready to get married. In the garage she had expected a limo but instead there was a Rolls Royce waiting. "Is this a rental?"

"Jason will tell you about the car." Max said holding open the door. He would let his boss explain. With Elizabeth in the back seat he got behind the wheel because Rory refused to drive. They didn't go far. The wedding was going to be held in the rose garden of the Duomo di Milano, which had the distinction of being the second largest cathedral in all of Italy. After parking Max escorted Elizabeth to the side garden. "Wait here for second." He went further down the path and looked around the building.

Milo saw his brother and nudged Jason. The blonde mob boss nodded that they were ready. It seemed like he had been standing her for the entire day which wasn't the case at all. Maximus had told Jason that everything was ready and all they had to do was show up at the appropriate time. Jason had been here maybe ten minutes simply waiting for the love of his life to join him.

Hank hit the button on the Ipod and soft music floated into the air. He checked the camera that Elizabeth gave him earlier in the day to make sure it was ready to go. He liked to take pictures back home so he got drafted into being the official photographer.

Beside the cathedral Elizabeth took the bouquet that Max handed her. Bright blooms in a riot of colors greeted her. She would need to press some when she made a wedding album. Taking a deep breath she stepped into view as a sunny smile lit up her face. Jason looked impossibly handsome in his grey suit as he waited for her to join him. The yellow tie he was wearing made her smile wider. "Hi." She said when after what felt like forever she was standing in front of him.

"Hi. You look beautiful." Jason said taking her in. Even if he could imagine he wouldn't have been able to come close to how she looked in this moment. He turned to the priest. "Siamo pronti." We are ready.

The priest nodded turning to the appropriate page in his bible. Maximus couldn't find a priest who was fluent in English on such short notice. So Jason requested a Latin ceremony. Elizabeth would know that one because AJ and Carly had a full Catholic mass during their wedding, and it was done in Latin. So even though they wouldn't know the words, it would still be familiar.

The priest invited them to pray as the ceremony began. They listened to the words while keeping their eyes on one another. While her ears didn't understand the language her heart did. During the words spoken after the prayer she head amore, and cuore. Love and heart. The basis of all strong marriages.

"Sposo." The priest looked at Jason.

From his pocket Jason extracted his wedding vows. While reading them from a piece of paper might not be the most romantic, what really mattered was that he intended to honor these words for the rest of his life.

"I, Jason take you Elizabeth to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold so I give you my life to keep."

The priest smiled before turning to Elizabeth. "Sposa."

"I, Elizabeth take you Jason to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold so I give you my life to keep."

She gave him the vows back so that he could put them in his pocket. They would also go into the wedding album.

"Rings?" The priest looked between the young couple who were so clearly in love.

Elizabeth placed the ring she had been holding in her hand on the bible and watched as Jason did the same. It made her smile to see that the rings matched. Without even discussing it they had created a set. It seemed like a good omen for their marriage. The priest nodded to Jason.

"I had your ring engraved." While waiting Jason had told the priest he wanted a moment to do this. "It says il mio cuore e solo tuo."

Liz smiled wide. Another good sign. "Your ring has the same phrase only I used tua. I wanted you to carry that message with you no matter where you are." She said squeezing the hand that was joined to hers.

"Me too." Jason couldn't help but think that was a sign they were truly meant to be. He turned to the priest and nodded that the ceremony could continue.

With vows and rings exchanged the priest did a short reading from the bible before closing with a prayer of blessing. With a nod and a smile he indicated that they should kiss.

"I love you." Jason said before gently kissing her.

"I love you too." Liz wanted him to know. Their lives were joined and she was excited about what would come next.

* * *

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Wedding Vows from Great Officiants


	37. Chapter 37

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 37

"This car is amazing." Liz said when they were back in the Rolls. "Did one of your friends loan it to you for the afternoon?" She had met a few of his business associates over the course of the week. Max had been with her at every party and made introductions.

"No." Jason smiled at her. Elizabeth was his wife. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. "The car is a wedding gift." One of many that they would receive when word got out. None of his business associates that knew him well would be surprised at him eloping. Social was not a word that came to mind when describing him.

"We own this car." Liz said stunned. "Who gave it to us, and what will happen to it when we leave?" A standard thank you note didn't seem adequate for such a gift.

"The car is going to be shipped over. That is another wedding gift from someone I know." They would bring the car over on one of their freighters. "Maximus gave it to us."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you seems inadequate." She also didn't think that she was brave enough to actually drive this car.

"Thank you will be sufficient. This is a standard wedding gift from the Don." Jason let her know. At least a car was for people he knew. What car you got depended on how much he liked you. When Sonny got around to marrying Alexis, he would most likely get a similar car. Just like the Don had sent something nice for the birth of Kristina. "We can use this for high profile events instead of a limo."

"Okay. It should be driven." Liz nodded her agreement. A gift this nice needed to be shown the proper appreciation, which meant it needed to be used. "I'm guessing there will be more gifts coming from those you do business with."

"Yes." Jason said with a slow grin. "Most of it will be cash, which I am willing to donate to the hospital." He would let her decide where. "Or to any charities in Port Charles you pick."

"I'd like that." Liz leaned her head on his shoulder. They didn't need the money. "Back to the hotel?" It was time to go home, which meant a delayed wedding night. They would survive she thought with a chuckle. Honestly she liked that the first time they made love as man and wife it would be in their home.

"Just to get our bags and check out." Jason said urging her closer. "Once that is done we will go to the airport." The plane was already standing by. After they boarded it would take off. "I can't wait to get home and share our news."

"Grandmother first." Liz thought that was appropriate. "Should we have another cookout to celebrate?" A big formal reception just wasn't them.

"Someone is going to offer to host. Probably Francis or Johnny." O'Brien had recently purchased a house and now everyone was just waiting for Karen to move in.

"That's fine. Not Sonny though. He has a newborn and his time is better spent there." Although he would offer. Right now he was taking family leave and Liz wanted that downtime to continue. "Not your family either." Because they would try to plan the fancy party she was just thinking they don't need. Of course the Quartermaines would be welcome at wherever the party was being held.

"I agree with both those decrees." Jason leaned forward and kissed his wife, because it had been too long since he did so. "We'll figure it out. We have time because we won't do anything until Cody and Nadine return home, and Carly and AJ are up to a night out." Jason wouldn't have to worry about a party for at least a month. "We're here." He commented as they pulled up to the hotel. "Promise me that you will let me take you out at some point and you'll wear this dress again." She looked too good in it for it to sit in the closet.

"Deal." She said before leaning forward and placing her lips on his. "Let's get our bags, so that we can go home." She was ready to start her life as Mrs. Jason Morgan.

* * *

"Morning." Jason said as he kissed her shoulder.

"Hi." Liz had to force her eyes open. This was her first experience with jet lag, and so far it wasn't too bad. Later in the day it might be another story. There would probably be an early bedtime happening. Hopefully Jason might be inclined to join her.

"How are you feeling?" Jason checked on her.

"Good." Liz loved being in his arms. It was the perfect way to pass any free time. "Guess what?" She asked rolling over.

"What?" Jason was enjoying being able to lie here with her. Even though he was back in Port Charles he wasn't going into the office. Sonny had asked that Francis and Johnny continued to run things this week. Jason wasn't sure why but his friend explained.

Sonny wanted other families to see just how strong Corinthos/Morgan was. When bosses went on vacation or business trips it wasn't unheard of for a rival family to launch an attack. Anyone who tried while Francis was in charge, with Johnny backing him up, would quickly learn they had made a mistake. Sonny wanted to have time with his family, he wanted the same for Jason. That meant delegating to the guys they trusted. They were both in town if Corelli or O'Brien needed them. It wasn't like Jason hadn't been working. He was running things while Sonny was out, and the week in Milan had been filled with meetings.

"I'm a married woman." Elizabeth said letting the joy of that move through her.

"Is that right?" Jason urged her closer. "It just so happens that I'm a married man. To the most amazing, smart, strong, talented, and beautiful woman."

"You'll have to introduce me to her one day." Liz said being silly.

Jason rolled them so that he was over her. "I think that can arranged."

"Thanks for carrying me into the house." She said putting her arms around his neck. She had passed out late in the flight. "I was exhausted last night, but I'm not tired anymore."

"Does that mean we can start celebrating the fact that we get to spend the rest of our lives together?" Jason smiled at her. "Because I'm ready."

Liz could feel that he was already hard, and she wasn't thinking it had anything to do with the early hour. Her body immediately responded to his clear state of readiness. She pushed her hips up rocking against him. "I'm ready too." She said in a soft whisper. "I very much want to know what if feels like to make love to my husband."

The time for talking was done. Taking her lips Jason concentrated on making Elizabeth feel more than he had ever before. The words to tell her how happy he was, and how much she meant to him were not ones he had. So he was going to show her. The shirt he had put her in last night had to go. As the colorful cotton cleared her chest he latched onto a peaked nipple. This was just the beginning of him worshipping every single inch of her body.

His lips traveled south as she once again stretched out on the bed. Already her whole body was tingling from his kisses. Her fingers tangled in his short hair because she wanted to be touching him in some capacity as he pushed her to the edge of her control. As he pulled down the lace shorts she was wearing Elizabeth closed her eyes as the anticipation of what was about to happen gripped her.

He brought his mouth to the very heart of her, and listened to his wife whimper in pleasure. He loved the fact that she didn't hide her pleasure from him. Despite the fact that they had made love countless times, and given one another more joy than anyone else ever had, he already felt that this joining would be on another level. Elizabeth was his wife. She had committed her life fully to his. They had stood up and made vows that they would honor every day. They wore symbols of that commitment on their hands. Everything he wanted was his. Now they got to make new dreams together.

"Jason." Elizabeth was so close. His mouth was destroying her and she was loving every second of it. However when she shattered she wanted to have him deep inside her. It seemed important that this morning they reach that pinnacle of pleasure together. She tugged on his hair and he looked up at her. Her desire must have been in her eyes because he rose over her until they were looking into one another's eyes. She brought him forward for a kiss and at the same time felt him push deep insider her.

The moan that came from him couldn't have been stopped if he wanted to. The way it felt when her body closed over his was as close to paradise as he would ever be while still alive. He had never been this intimate with another person. It wasn't just the sex, it was the closeness and the trust. Her legs wrapped around his waist which made him moan again. Jason started to move and found himself fighting off his release. He wanted to fill her with his seed and mark her as his, but not just yet.

Elizabeth held her husband as close as possible as they rocked together. She could feel his heart beating against her chest, as well as deep insider her body. With each thrust she raised her hips moving in tandem with him. "More." She begged as she started to shake.

Jason pushed harder and faster into her body. He could feel her inner muscles pulsing which meant she was almost there. His body was covered with sweat and he was trembling as he tried to stay in control. Shifting a bit he put one large hand under her bottom tilting her hips more which allowed him a deeper penetration and that was all they both needed. Her fingers dug into his shoulder and he watched her beautiful eyes go hazy as the pleasure swamp her. Her release triggered his and with a deep groan he gave her everything.

When she came back to herself Jason was lying next to her and they were both breathing hard. She felt like she had left her body at the end of their love making her climax had been so intense. Turning her head she saw that he was looking at her. "Hi."

"Hi." Jason was still breathing hard. Since he wanted to be touching her, but couldn't seem to move yet, he linked his fingers with his. "That was amazing."

"It was." Liz smiled at him. The truly amazing thing was that it would get better. She released his fingers and rolled to her side so they would be touching. Jason raised his arm and she cuddled close. With her head on his chest she could hear his heart beating rapidly at first and then slower looking up through her lashes she saw his blue eyes were on her. She could see deep inside him because he never hid from her. What Elizabeth saw was unending love for her. The same emotion for him would be reflected back. "What else are we going to do today?" She asked with a smile. That they would spend more time in bed was a given.

"I'd like to go see Grandmother." Jason let his hand move over the soft skin of her back. If they left the house at some point it would keep them from being unable to walk tomorrow he thought with a smirk. "How does that sound?"

"Great." Liz kissed his chest before moving her head to his shoulder. "We can stop at the grocery store on the way home." There wasn't anything to eat in the house.

"Is that your way of saying you are hungry?" Jason wanted to know.

"I did just burn a lot of calories." Liz said with a sly smile. "I anticipate that more will be burned later."

"That is a good bet." Jason said kissing the top of her head. "I'll call and have breakfast brought to the house."

"I'll make a list for shopping. After I shower." She said not wanting to move.

"I need to get clean too. How about we shower together?" Jason wanted to know. He loved sharing the glass chamber with her.

"I like the sound of that." Liz said getting out of bed. She could feel her husband's eyes on her and she knew that he was enjoying the view. More than likely they would not be getting clean right away under the warm spray. "You can make your call for breakfast when we are done." She said as she stepped into the bathroom.

"I certainly can." Jason said throwing back the blankets and following his wife.

Jason called for breakfast and then called the mansion. "Hello."

"Mr. Jason, welcome back. How are you?" Alice had answered the phone.

"I'm good." Jason was smiling thinking about the wedding. "Elizabeth and I were wondering if we could visit this morning."

Alice knew without having to be told that he was talking about a visit with just Mrs. Lila. "Your grandmother is free all morning. The house is also empty." He would want to know that. "Both your parents are in surgery so they won't be popping back in. Mr. Edward is in Boston for the day, and Ms. Emily is in Miami."

Jason listened to where his various family members were. He knew about Emily's trip. She was taking a long weekend with John. Edward's trip was business related, and he would be back before dinner. The only person Alice left off the list was AJ. Jason didn't need to be told that his brother was at the hospital with Carly. After their shower he and Elizabeth decided to go visit them before they went grocery shopping.

"We'll be over in about ninety minutes." Jason told the housekeeper.

"I'll let your grandmother know." Alice knew that he didn't like talking on the phone much.

"Thank you. Bye." Jason ended the call just as the doorbell rang. Breakfast was here. He heard Elizabeth greet the runner as he got down plates. They had ordered from Kelly's. "Grandmother is free for a visit." He told her as she put the bag on the counter.

"Good." Liz said pulling out containers. "I can't wait to share our good news."

"She's going to be thrilled." Jason knew that for sure. "Then we'll go tell Carly and AJ. Her finding out second should protect us from her ire."

"I'm still hiding behind you." She said laughing.

* * *

"Hello Grandmother." Liz gave the older woman a kiss on her check.

"You rode the bike." Lila pointed to the helmet her guests were putting on the end of the couch. "I thought it was too late in the year?" It was almost early October.

"It's warmer than normal right now." Jason responded as he kissed her cheek. "In the next week the colder weather we are used to will be rolling in, so today is probably the last time we will go out."

"I still had to put on a sweater so that I didn't get cold." She had gone with a deep pink cable knit sweater and paired it with faded jeans. Jason was still in short sleeves but she made him put the lining in his jacket. "We bought you the requested lemon candy." Liz said putting a bag, one of several she was holding, down on the table. "I picked out a few items that I think you will enjoy."

"Thank you." Lila would look through the bag after her guests departed. Alice pushed in the cart with tea, and coffee for Jason. This wasn't a full tea service just something to drink. "Thank you Alice. Jason will pour."

"Alice." Liz stood up before the housekeeper could leave. "I thought you might like these." She said holding out a gift bag.

"Thank you Ms. Elizabeth." Alice said clearly surprised. While Mrs. Lila often gifted her items, no one else in the family did. "I'm sure that I will." She didn't even know what was in the bag, it was just nice to be thought of.

"You're welcome." Liz really liked the quiet older woman. "I'll pour since I'm up."

"The rest of the bags are for the family." Jason told his grandmother. It went without saying that Elizabeth was the one who shopped for the gifts. Jason would only bring items back for Lila, Emily, Carly, and now Monica. AJ wouldn't care about a gift.

"I'm sure they will be thrilled." Lila was thinking that shocked would be closer to the truth. The boys didn't bring their parents, or grandfather, gifts when they traveled. "How was fashion week?"

"Amazing." Liz took the question. "Lots of pretty clothes, even more pretty people. It's nice to go and just be a guest. On a more personal note the city of Milan was very beautiful. I'm looking forward to going back when I have more time to play tourist."

"I have never been to Italy." Lila said a bit wistfully. "I'm glad that you got to go, and that you will get to go back in the future."

"I have some photos I can send to you if you'd like." Liz had given her camera a workout on Saturday.

"Yes please." Lila looked at her grandson and smiled. While she was older her eyes worked fine. She had seen the new rings on Elizabeth's hand, as well as the ring on his hand. Trying to wait for him to say something was becoming harder every time the hand went around the clock.

Jason smiled at his grandmother. The rings were obvious and she was sharp so he knew that she saw them. Elizabeth was waiting for him to make the official announcement, otherwise he might make his grandmother wait. Rarely did he have one up on Lila. He placed his hand on Elizabeth's and together they looked over. "Yesterday, while we were in Milan, Elizabeth and I got married."

"Congratulations." Lila smiled wide at the announcement. "This is the best news we've had in some time."

"We figured if we did it now then the spotlight wouldn't be on us for long. With the baby coming no one will care about us." Jason said laughing knowing that wasn't true. Yes the focus of the family would shift to the baby, there was enough joy to go around.

Liz just laughed at Jason. "That's not true. We did it now because next week we are going to New York. So we have a built in escape."

"That's even better than my excuse." Jason said nodding his head. "I married up."

"You did." Lila agreed with her grandson while laughing. Elizabeth would refute that statement if given the chance. The love between the young couple made her heart happy. "May I have a closer look at your new ring?" Lila wanted to know.

"Absolutely." Liz moved to the chair closer to the wheelchair. She was looking forward to showing off her wedding set over the next week.

"Lovely." Lila said holding her newest granddaughter's hand in hers. "This ring is stunning. I don't own any yellow diamonds. I may need to correct that. May I ask why you chose this hue?"

"It's my favorite color." Liz shared with her grandmother. "Which is why you see me wear it so often."

"You look good in it so you should wear it often." Lila told her granddaughter. She would file that information away for future gift giving occasions. "May I see your ring?" She asked Jason.

He came over and squatted beside the wheelchair. He held out his hand and showed off his ring. While the guys had fussed over Elizabeth right after the ceremony no one wanted to see his ring. Getting the chance to share it made him happy.

"Do you have any photos from the ceremony?" Lila asked looking between the couple.

"I have a few, but this time tomorrow I'll have more." Liz hadn't had a chance to look at the photos that Hank took. "Once I go through them I'll create a digital album for everyone to check out. I asked Max to use my phone to take a few photos of us in the garden right after the ceremony." She pulled out the device. She had painted a memory on the black cover. The vivid colors of the sunset from the beach on Puerto Rico greeted her. Jason liked it so much he asked her to do the same thing on his.

"Lovely." Lila said softly. "May I?" She didn't want to move from this picture if she shouldn't.

"There are ten pictures." Liz replied so that Grandmother would keep going.

"Is that one of your dresses?" Lila wanted to know. The fact that her granddaughter was not in a wedding gown didn't surprise her. The dress however was stunning.

"It's one of Angel's." Liz corrected looking at the pictures as well. It was one that would be framed for the house. She wanted a photo gallery like the one Lila had created on the piano. Liz's would go on one of the large walls in the family room.

"You look beautiful.' Lila handed the phone back.

"What about me?" Jason asked looking between the two women. "I was there too, in a suit."

Lila just shook her head. "He becomes more like Edward every day. They are both attention hogs." She said making fun of him. "You looked very handsome." She said patting his hand. "Better?"

"Much." Jason said with a wide grin. He stood and held out his hand to Elizabeth so they could sit on the couch again. She would be too far away if she stayed in the armchair. "We are going to the hospital from here would you like to tag along? I figure if we take you with us then it decreases the chances of you needing to be bailed out."

"I won't need to be bailed out." Lila said with a wicked grin. "Because I don't get caught. As for the hospital I'd love to go visit my grandchildren."

Liz was trying not to laugh. "How is Carly? I spoke to AJ on Saturday. Carly was sleeping."

"She's been sleeping a good bit, which is what she needs. When her body is rested it doesn't work as hard. Carly is handling this well, AJ has been doing better since she was admitted." Lila had been worried about him during the weeks leading up the Paul wedding. Her grandson's blood pressure was creeping up because he was terrified he was going to lose his wife and unborn child. She wouldn't be surprised if this was the only child the couple had.

"I'm going to call AJ to see if he wants us to bring anything." Jason told both ladies as he got to his feet. He had arranged for meal delivery from Polluzo's when his brother and sister in-law checked into their private suite.

"We'll stay here and I will start working on corrupting your wife." Lila said with a wide smile. "I've been behaving up until now."

Jason just shook his head as he stepped out onto the patio.

"Since it's just us ladies, tell me all about the fabulous clothing you saw. I also want to know who made that red dress you wore on Friday night." Lila enjoyed seeing the young ladies she knew in the paper. They all regularly made the best dressed lists.

"I saw a few things that I'll definitely be adding to my personal wardrobe." Liz commented as she refreshed their tea.

* * *

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	38. Chapter 38

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 38

"I cannot wait to walk on the beach." Liz said kicking off her shoes as she walked into the bungalow. They were back in Puerto Rico. It had been almost six months since the last time which was a long time for them. Since the first time they came down, three years ago, they were generally down here every couple of months.

"We can do that after dinner." Jason was bringing in the garment bags.

Liz nodded as she looked around. She had redecorated last year giving their space a more tropical feel. After a few trips down she had asked if he would mind if she changed the space. They had been sitting on the patio and she quietly admitted that while she loved their cottage it did hold some not so great memories for her. Jason offered to move them to another space on the compound. Liz had shaken her head no, because this space also held some amazingly wonderful memories. She wanted to stay here, she just needed it to look different. He told her to go for it.

"I'm going to do my best to not get into a business discussion over dinner." She said smiling.

"Sonny won't mind." Jason knew his friend was as excited about the boutique's opening as Elizabeth. It was the first of what would be four shops in their properties. Since her shop in Port Charles was a huge success, as was the website, his wife felt she was ready for the next step.

"I want to relax tonight. Tomorrow we are both going over to the boutique so I can do a walk through. I'm sure that everything will be fine and then I can get started with setting up the clothing." Liz explained to her guy. Basically she was talking out loud because he knew what the timeline was for this trip. "Tonight is about friends and me hanging out with my goddaughter."

Sonny had been down here for almost a week overseeing the final work. With Liz's permission he let the human resources department at the resort hire the staff with Summer's input. Elizabeth's now former assistant had moved down to the island last month in preparation of her new role. Summer fell in love and married Hank, who had just been offered the head of the guards' position in Puerto Rico. The timing worked out well because Summer was worried about what to do with her time after the move.

"While the two of you are doing that I'm going to be doing an inspection of the resort." Jason walked over and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. "Since we'll all be over tomorrow there will you have dinner with me at one of the restaurants?"

"I'd love that. You pick." Liz looked up at him. "We should offer to babysit one night so that Sonny can take Alexis out on the town." Their nanny was not a long for this trip.

"That won't be a problem." Jason loved hanging out with the little girl. The best days were when they had her and Michael over at the same time. AJ and Carly's little boy could be a handful, but he was also really lovable. The kids were always playing together. They were more like cousins than friends.

Liz nodded her mind taking a short mental trip. Since they were talking about children, and they had a little time before heading over to Sonny's she wanted to discuss something with her husband. Taking his hand she led him over to the couch and sat on his lap when he was comfortable. "I'm due to go get another birth control shot next week."

Jason knew that. "You don't want to." He was guessing.

"No. I don't." Liz loved that they were so in tune. They had been married for two years and in that time they had traveled the world. They had also focused on work, when not focusing on one another. Her life was wonderful, but it could be better. "About six months ago I really started thinking about us having a child. We've been talking about it off and on since Michael was born."

They didn't have one big conversation about expanding their family. Instead they began weaving the topic into their existing talks. The ones they had about them as individuals and as a couple. Those check ins made sure they stayed on the same page, which kept them united as a couple.

"We have. The timing is good." Jason would love to have a baby with her.

"It's ideal. I'm opening my new store, I won't open another one for two years." Liz said going over the plan she set in place. "You guys have finished the absorption of Buffalo and Rochester." The Don had given them the rest of upstate New York last year. He didn't want three families in such tight quarters, but vacant territories didn't make the Costa Nostra any money.

Jason linked their fingers. "Work will always be there but we can find the proper balance." He was positive about that. They knew the meaning of team work. "We've got a good example of how to balance work and home when it involves international travel in AJ and Carly." His brother said it wasn't always easy to keep the schedule from becoming a mess but making Michael their priority ensured it happened.

"We are going to need a nanny, at least part time." Liz took a deep breath. "That hurt some to say." She admitted laughing. "I want to work, I'm not going to feel guilty about that. I just don't want to be my parents which is my biggest fear."

"You won't be. You don't have it in you to ignore your child. We will both have times when work comes first. That's normal." Jason knew she was going to be an amazing mom. "Honestly I want you to work. It fulfills a part of you that nothing else will. You need that outlet to be whole. We will figure it out." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

"Did we just decide to start a family?" Liz asked smiling when his lips left hers.

"I think we did." Jason was now kind of annoyed that they were going out. However they wouldn't get pregnant today anyway, but the practice sure would be fun. Not that they needed it. "How large will our family be?" It was nice to sit her and dream with her.

"I hated being an only child, so I'd like at least two." Liz knew that he couldn't remember those years. However he did know about them from Lila. Their grandmother had not whitewashed anything. She gave Jason the truth, good and bad.

"I like the sound of that. We can reassess after that." Jason let her know. "I like being an adult sibling. From what Lila said I liked having a brother, and then a sister when I was younger. Most of the time." He said with a wry grin. "I'm guessing that some of the time I hated it."

"When we get home I'll call Kelly and ask her for a prescription for pre-natal vitamins. I can start taking them now to get my body ready." Liz paused for a moment. "Actually I'll call her tomorrow and have the prescription faxed down." The sooner she started taking them the better.

"Okay." Jason was excited about their future family. "We should head over to Sonny's."

"Is everyone joining us?" Liz asked getting up. From this point forward she was probably going to have baby on the brain, she would just have to not become obsessed about it. "The more folks around the table the better the odds I won't talk about business."

"I think everyone is joining us." Jason said as they left the cottage. Francis and Diane were here. So were Milo and Georgie. The two couples had flown down with Sonny and Alexis. Max and Clarice flew down with Liz and Jason. Cody and Nadine were flying in tomorrow, with Johnny and Karen, because both ladies had to work today. AJ, Carly, Em, and John were coming down in two days. On the day of the opening Lila, Edward, Monica, Alan, and Alice would fly down. They were bringing Liz's new executive assistant Maxie with them. Everyone who mattered would be in attendance.

"It will be a fun dinner followed by a romantic walk on the beach." Liz smiled at Jason as he rang the doorbell.

* * *

"What do you think?" Sonny asked as they stood in the space that had been created for her. When the last shop's lease was almost up he had approached Liz about opening a second boutique. The fact that this was the only time outside of the house warming at her house that he mentioned the store had him patting himself on the back. Patience wasn't something he was known for. He was doing better though. He wanted to be a better father than what he had growing up.

The first thing she did when they arrived was walk the entire space. The paint job got an up close inspection, the fitting rooms were walked through, and all the doors were opened and closed. The work, just like back home, was stellar. She had made it clear to Sonny that she wanted square footage that was smaller than her store back home and he had kept that in mind.

Actually he had chuckled and said that wouldn't be a problem because her store back home was huge. There wasn't a space equal to it inside the hotel and he didn't want her store in a standalone building. He wanted it on the lobby level of the hotel so guests walked past it every time they entered or left the property.

The store back home had undergone some changes in the time since she opened it. Her offices and work space were in a new building not far from the Miller & Davis law firm, so eighteen months after launching her shop she and Cody sat down to figure out what to do. He showed up at their lunch meeting with plans already drawn up and Liz had been impressed. She had also been excited, and a little nervous to make such a big leap. Because what was coming was pretty huge.

They had started by installing an elevator. If merchandise was going to be on the upper levels then all her customers needed to be able to reach it. Nothing else happened until that was done and it had been a pretty big undertaking involving months of work. He made sure that while his crew was on site, and moving things around, the customers were not disturbed. In fact a lot of them didn't even realize was going on.

Once the elevator was in place everything else happened fairly quickly. It was just a matter of reworking the layout. The first floor stayed pretty much the same except the customer consult area was moved down to the first floor. All merchandise storage was moved to the basement. The staff break area was moved to the rear of the second floor and expanded a bit to give them somewhere nice to relax. The manager's office was now in the back of the third floor. The guys liked that because it put the safe on the highest level.

That expansion coincided with Liz broadening the range of her brand. More gowns, more corporate items, and more everyday dresses. Last winter she introduced the world to Steven Hardy, her men's line named after her grandfather. While Audrey dominated her memories, Liz had known and loved her grandfather too. The collection had won the Men's category that year and netted her another Young Designer of the Year award. This coming year she was launching a line of accessories. Business was booming.

"I think it's time to get the crew in here so we can put up the racks and shelves." She said with a wide smile. "Thank you for this Sonny."

"It's a smart business decision. I gotta kid to put through college and a wife who likes expensive shoes." He said laughing. Shortly after Michael's first birthday Alexis had finally married him. Everyone was joking that she was the only bride in wedding history to carry a brown paper bag down the aisle. "I'm happy you are here." He had no doubt that she was going to be just as successful here as back home.

"I'm happy to be here." She already had a mental image of what the interior would look like. They had two days to get it done, and then the grand opening. Her clothes were already here waiting to be displayed so everything was on track.

* * *

"Hi!" Liz gave Em a really hard hug. She missed seeing her sister on a daily basis. For the last six months Em had been in Europe overseeing Deceptions offices there. The fact that she was running an entire division on her own was a big deal. She was doing an amazing job.

"Hey you." Emily squeezed Liz tight. They facetimed several times a week still she missed just hanging out. The Morgans had not yet been to London while she was there. Hopefully a trip would happen soon so that she could show off her new home. "You look amazing."

"I feel amazing." Liz saw no reason to deny that. "I am loving your hair." Emily had lightened her hair to a dark blonde.

"I wanted a change." Emily said with a shrug. In the beauty industry it was fairly common for folks to constantly change their looks. "John likes it." She said with a slow grin. Her guy was talking with Jason right now. Her brother would want to make sure the security he put in place was working.

"I bet he does." Liz bumped her shoulder against her best friend. "We are thinking of coming to London between Thanksgiving and Christmas." Unless she was pregnant by then. That might derail travel plans.

"You'll love it. Let me know." Emily would make time in her schedule for them to hang out. "Any chance of you coming to London for fashion week?"

"Not this year." Liz just shook her head no. "I do expect to be in Milan for a few days." She was really busy but would make time to go. Jason would more than likely go with her and like the past few years conduct business. "I'll make sure you get a copy of my schedule."

"How are things working out with Maxie?" Emily had been surprised to hear about that hiring. Georgie's sister had earned herself a fairly bad reputation while growing up. In fact she and Liz didn't really get along. Maxie had left for a few years after her bad behavior ended up landing her in the hospital and returned not long after Emily left for Europe.

"Really well." Liz said laughing. "I'm surprised you waited this long to ask."

"I was trying to be mature and have faith that people can change." Emily hadn't always been an angel.

"She has." Liz had been hesitant about bringing Maxie onto the staff, but Summer vouched for her. Liz also knew that Georgie pulled her sister aside and told her if she did anything stupid she would kick her ass. "Maxie is basically a walking encyclopedia of fashion. It's impressive and a little scary. She is also aware what people think of her and wants to change that. Honestly it's like she's a new person. I hope this lasts."

"Carly said that Maxie is dating Spinelli." Emily just couldn't see that at all.

"Yeah." Liz laughed and nodded. "It sounds odd, but they are really sweet together. Where are your brother and Carly? I'm going through Michael withdrawal." The reason they all arrived together was because her brother in-law and sister in-law had been in London for the last month on business.

"They cheated and went down to the beach first." Emily tilted her head toward the glass sliding doors. Carly loved the beach and any chance to get to visit she seized.

"They need to come in so I can get some kid time before we go out tonight." Liz was looking forward to their Girls' Night Out.

After the whole Logan incident they didn't go out again until Nadine's bachelorette party. They still got together, they still drank tequila, and they still had a lot of fun. They just did over each other's houses. Liz's backyard had hosted a good number of gatherings. Georgie hosted movie night regularly. Emily took them up to the lake house. Karen even hosted a few after she started hanging out with them more often. To celebrate the new boutique Liz wanted a good old fashioned night out in a bar.

"Where are we going?" Emily waved at Georgie who was coming in with Diane and Alexis. The three of them had been outside when Em and John pulled up. The fact that they didn't come in right away meant they were talking work.

"No clue." Liz admitted grinning. "Renaldo made the arrangements. He also set up security, so expect to be surrounded by guards. The only thing I said was that I didn't want to go to the resort."

"Are you talking about tonight?" Diane wanted to know. "I'm looking forward to slamming back a few shots." Her schedule prevented her from joining the ladies regularly, but when she was free she liked hanging out with her friends.

"Should be fun." Alexis wasn't much of drinker but getting out from time to time was just good for you. "Karen and Nadine are coming as well?"

"Nadine yes." Liz nodded as she answered. The nurse and Cody were out on a bike ride at the moment. "Karen will come if she can get around Johnny." The former model and now successful business owner had just announced her pregnancy. Johnny was in full hovering mode. "We might have to commit a jailbreak there."

"Just have Nadine drug him." Georgie cheerfully suggested.

"Look at you with the law breaking." Emily laughed at her friend.

"She's come a long way." Diane beamed with pride. "I have to get Kristina from her father now. It's time for her daily fashion lesson. Today we are talking about Louboutin's."

"She's serious isn't she?" Emily asked looking at the remaining ladies.

"Yes." Alexis said grinning. "Kristina can already tell the difference between Prada and Versace. Sonny is terrified at what will happen the next time we go clothes shopping. Liz you can help by adding children's clothes to your collections."

"Nope." Liz just shook her head. "Still not gonna happen, but I'll let you know what fashion houses are making children's clothes this season after fashion week." The patio door slid open. "Michael's here. Later." She said getting up.

"Ditched for a guy. If he wasn't so cute I'd be offended." Emily said watching her sister with their nephew. "This is a good time for me to rescue John from Jason." Both her brothers kept mentioning marriage, she was pretty sure she was going to hurt one of them soon. "See you tonight."

* * *

"I'm guessing you're excited for tonight?" Jason was in the chair in the bedroom watching his wife get ready to go out. He was enjoying the way her jeans showed off her bottom. When she redid the bedroom she was going to scrap the sitting area but he asked her not to. He explained that he enjoyed the view, and watched her blush bright when she got his meaning. He loved that his girl still blushed.

"I love hanging out with you." Liz gave him a grin. "But I can get up to a different kind of mischief when I'm with my girls." It had been far too long since they were all together. She was excited that Leyla was going to be joining them. "What will you be doing while I'm out? Poker?"

"We don't always play poker." Jason huffed out the answer. "Maybe we want to have a serious discussion about the world economy." He said giving her a look.

Liz tried not to laugh at the look on his face. The guys did have serious conversations on a regular basis. The topic Jason just named was one they all knew a lot about. When you ran an international business you needed to have an understanding of trade and the value of your product around the globe. The guys discussed other heavy topics like politics, religion, and human rights too. However they also played a lot of poker. "Sorry I dented your ego." She replied with a smirk. "So what are you doing?"

"Playing poker." Jason said with a wide smile. They were also probably going to discuss Max's plan to pop the question. He already had a ring, they had seen it, now he wanted to pick the brains of his friends who had already gotten hitched. The guys would give him grief, because that was the tradition, but they were all thrilled for him. Once that was handled the conversation would probably be dominated by a discussion of security for the opening.

"I knew it." Liz just shook her head. "What do you think?" She gave him a turn so he could see the outfit. Comfort was the rule for these gatherings. Considering that they dressed up for work, or wore uniforms, everyone wanted to be relaxed for nights out. So she was in her favorite pair of boyfriend jeans, a vintage inspired sleeveless tulle embroidered and crocheted top with a lace up back in cream, and nude high heeled sandals were on her feet.

"I like that I can get you out of that top quickly." He said with lecherous grin.

"Jason Morgan." Liz just shook her head. "Behave."

"Nope." He said getting out of his chair and walking over to where she was standing. "You like it when I'm bad." He chuckled before dropping a kiss to her lips. "Admit it."

She couldn't fit the grin. "You're just so darn good at it." Liz used his belt buckle to pull him closer. "We won't be out super late. Will you wait up for me?"

"I certainly will." Jason put his hands on her hips before dipping his head for a deeper kiss. They were going to have plenty of protection, but he wouldn't be able to sleep until she was home. He was only a little worried about the coming evening.

There hadn't been many trips to bars for these Girls Night Out since the kidnapping. The ladies now usually went out to dinner at a different restaurant each month or stayed in. On only three occasions, not including Vegas, had they decided to go to Jake's. The first time Liz didn't even make it out of the garage because she was shaking too hard. Focusing on the night she got kidnapped wasn't something they normally did, but the memories had come roaring back.

When the kiss ended Liz leaned forward and just rested against her guy. She was a little nervous about tonight, but each time got a little better. What helped was knowing the guards were there, and knowing that Jason would be waiting when she got home. She wasn't going to let Logan and Zander take this from her. "Okay, I need to go. Before I do answer a question for me. How many of your guys will be in the bar?"

"No clue." Jason took her hand and walked with her to the door. "Renaldo set up security." He would be at the card game tonight. "I do know that he might have mentioned to some of his crew that they would get paid for hanging out at the bar and shooting pool tonight." So the place was probably going to be packed with their guys.

Liz gave him another kiss. "Thank you." He always took care of her. Not always directly, sometimes by making sure those around him knew her safety was a priority.

"Try not to get arrested." Jason gave her another kiss before opening the door. On the other side her escort for the night was waiting.

"I make no promises." Liz walked out the door putting a little extra sway in her hips so he would enjoy the view.

Jason just laughed before locking up and heading over to Sonny's.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	39. Chapter 39

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 39

Elizabeth took a deep breath before heading down the stairs. This morning had gotten off to a bit of rough start. She couldn't seem to get herself moving. Jason had left almost ninety minutes ago, and normally she got out of bed then. Not today. She had been hiding under her pillow when he walked out of the bedroom. It was knowing that Max was coming to get her that had her finally moving.

She should have more energy this morning. Yesterday she had a meeting with Bernie to go over the books for her business. Elizabeth Morgan Designs, the new name under which she produced her two labels, was doing well. Okay, that was a bit of an understatement. If sales continued at the current rate she would crack five million dollars in sales by June. That would be a new personal best.

The store in Port Charles was making money, the boutique in Puerto Rico was making money, and her website was doubling their combined sales. Not to mention she was now a regular at fashion week. Her show in February had been a must get ticket. She had five months before she returned to the city for the next show and already folks were putting in requests for tickets.

Standing in the kitchen she tried to decide if she wanted to eat. She didn't have much an appetite but she would be starving by lunch if she didn't put something in her stomach now. After looking through the pantry and rejecting everything, yogurt ended up being her choice. Once she had eaten, she made tea before pouring it into her travel mug while listening to the weather. This time of year you never knew what might greet you. It had been glorious yesterday and now they were forecasting snow for later in the week.

"Coat." Liz said trying to shake off her fatigue. "I need a coat and a scarf." She forced herself to start moving from her spot by the sink. "Today might be a short one." She had to admit. It crossed her mind to just work from her home office today. What made her say no was that if she did that might lead to her giving in to the temptation of the soft couch upstairs. A nap right now would not be a short one. "At least I don't have any meetings today." She muttered slipping into her outwear as the doorbell rang. "Hi Max." She gave him a big smile despite feeling like crud.

"Liz." Max greeted her with a grin. Today was his first day back at work from his honeymoon so he was in a good mood. "How are you?" She looked tired.

"Sluggish." Liz said as she locked up. The crisp morning air felt good on her skin. She had been a little warm this morning and now she was starting to worry she had picked something up. Michael and Kristina both had colds. That was why Johnny was making it a point to stay away from Sonny right now. If O'Brien took a bug home to Cailin then Karen would hurt him since the little girl had just gotten over a double ear infection.

"Something's going around." He had heard that a few guys were out when he checked in this morning. "Maybe you should stay home." Max suggested to her.

"If I'm not feeling better by lunch then I'm packing it in." Liz promised him. She took three steps and a wave of nausea hit her. Getting back into the house wasn't going to happen, but she did manage to make it over to the hedge. She didn't have much in her stomach, but it all came back up in a rush.

Max already had the door open. "Come on back in the house and I'll get you settled on the couch." He said steering his charge toward the warm interior.

"At least I managed not to throw up on myself." Liz said as her stomach rolled again. Her first stop was the downstairs bathroom. She didn't even bother to remove her jacket before rinsing her mouth out. When she came back out Max was on the phone, no doubt with Jason. "He doesn't have to come back." She told her friend as she walked by to hang up her jacket.

"Tell my stubborn wife I'll be home shortly." Jason could hear her through the phone. "Have her stretch out on the couch." He said shutting off the computer he had only just turned on. The morning had started with a meeting.

"Not a problem." Max said as he ended the call. He was grateful he didn't get sick that often. It was a rare year if he even got the flu. "The boss is on his way back. He said for you to lie down on the couch." Having Jason back up what he had already said might make Liz not argue. "I'll get you some juice."

"Thanks." Liz didn't bother to say she was fine. She couldn't fight them both. By the time Max returned she was out cold.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Jason asked when she woke up.

"Tired." Liz said frowning. Being sick sucked.

"You don't have a fever, does your throat hurt? Or anything else?" He asked doing a check in.

"No." Liz rolled from her side to her back so she could look at him. "I'm actually kind of hungry."

"That's a good sign." Jason grinned at her. "I stopped off and picked up some soup from Kelly's."

"Okay." Liz gave a big yawn. "I zonked out before Max came back from his trip to the kitchen." She said with a lop-sided grin.

"I know. He said that you didn't drink your juice, so I will start by bringing some in for you." Jason kissed her forehead and went into the kitchen. He wondered how much of a fight he was in for. His girl hated to be sick, and being still was not something she enjoyed. He would bring her a pad and some pencils. Working on her designs would go a long way to making this easier on them both.

"I never called the office." She said when he brought back the cold drink.

"I did. I spoke to Maxie. She said to tell you that your team has the situation under control." Jason thought his wife's assistant was nuts, but Georgie's sister ran that office like a well-oiled machine.

Liz nodded. "I have good timing. With fashion week over we are in one of the slower periods of the year." She and her team would be focusing on designs for the newest collections while Maxie handled the upcoming summer Deception ad campaign. That partnership was still going strong. Times like these were Liz's favorite because her focus was the clothing and not the business. "I have no doubt that everyone will be fine without me there for the day." Her team didn't slack off whenever she traveled so they wouldn't do it now.

The doorbell rang and Jason looked over his shoulder. He wasn't expecting anyone and the guards would only let a few people up without calling first. "Hi." He opened the door and stepped back. "Should you be here with Elizabeth sick?"

"It's fine." Nadine assured him with a grin. "I work in a hospital, which is crawling with germs, if that hasn't made me sick your wife poses no threat." The nurse practitioner was her normal perky self.

Jason closed the door and took her coat. He only asked because Nadine was seven months pregnant now. "She's in the living room." He wasn't surprised to see Cody's wife because she handled any non-surgical issues for the organization. Although she could stitch you up if it was needed.

"Okay." Nadine grabbed her bag and headed into the front room. "Hey you. How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Liz should have known her friend was going to show up.

Nadine watched as Elizabeth blinked owlishly. Her friend looked to be barely awake. "Tired, or sleepy? They aren't necessarily the same thing."

"Sleepy." Liz said switching adjectives.

Nadine got out her temporal scanner. "No fever. No swollen glands." She said doing a manual check. "Your pulse is up." She said going down her mental check list. "When was the last time you had your period?"

Liz did the math in her head. She looked at Jason who was also counting back and they reached the same conclusion at the same time. Things had been nuts this year. Not only had she done her show in New York, but for the first time ever she went to London's fashion week and then Milan's. It had been three weeks of long hours, networking, and hopping time zones. "Seven weeks."

"Are you regular?" Nadine asked her friend as a smile started forming on her face.

"I'm pretty regular, and no we aren't using anything." Liz was suddenly thinking she might not be sick.

Nadine dug out her phone. "I'm going to call and set up an appointment for you to get some blood work done. While I'm doing that Jason why don't you go to the pharmacy and get a home test." She told him the brand. "No more than two." Cody had come home with six and she had joked that she didn't have that much pee.

"Um." Jason didn't move as his brain tried to process that they might be pregnant. After they decided to start a family they agreed to not watch the calendar. They weren't going to start counting the months that passed without a baby. Kelly would let them know if it had been long enough that there might be a problem. They weren't going to stress and that approach may have paid off. "I'll go now."

Walking over he kissed his wife. She was looking at him with eyes full of love and hope. Both sentiments he was feeling as well. "I love you."

"I love you too." Liz said trying to stay calm. Jason left and she turned to Nadine. "When can I go in?"

"Today at three." The nurse practitioner look at the clock. "You have plenty of time. It was the only opening they had. Unless you want me to point out who your in-laws are?" She asked while sending a text.

"No." Liz wasn't going to be throwing her connections in people's faces.

Nadine checked her buzzing phone before speaking. "Kelly wants you to text her the results of the home tests. If you get a positive she may have you come to her office to get blood drawn." The ob/gyn had no problem being pushy on Liz's behalf.

"Are you staying?" Liz asked her friend.

"Just until Jason returns, then I'm going to go. I'm not even going to bug you for the results." Nadine was superstitious about things like that. She and Cody did have some trouble conceiving and Nadine ended up having to take hormone shots, but they were getting their chance to have a family. She hoped the same was true for her friends.

"Want something to drink?" Liz suddenly wasn't sleepy anymore, although if she was pregnant that would more than likely return.

"I'm good. I will use the bathroom though." Nadine got to her feet and waddled out of the room.

Liz just sat on the couch and tried to stay calm.

* * *

It wasn't until he was at the store that Jason realized he had left the property without his guard. Not something that he had done since Milo was assigned to him. The youngest Giambetti brother was now assigned to Alexis and Jason was being protected by Marco. It was too late to do anything about it but in the future he would make sure it didn't happen again.

He grabbed the two tests and went to the register. In no time at all he was he back at the house. He had been shaking during the round trip because his entire life could potentially be changing. They hadn't even had a late period since they started trying for a baby. So this was his first trip to the pharmacy for home tests, and more than anything he wanted them to be positive.

"I'm back." He said despite the fact that the two women could see that.

"Did you not wear a jacket?" Liz asked looking at her guy.

"I forgot." Jason said with an almost shy grin. He was excited.

Nadine just laughed. "I'm going to head out. Good luck you guys." Jason came over and helped her to her feet.

"Where is your guard?" He did note that her car was the only one in front of the house.

"Down at the gate." Nadine was being protected by Paulie these days. He was the only one who wasn't terrified by her growing stomach. "I'm not in the mood for a lecture from my husband. I'm not going out alone."

"I'll walk you to your car." Jason looked at his wife who was drinking a glass of water. "Be right back."

"I'll be right here. Put on a jacket." Liz gave him a look. Just because he couldn't feel the temperatures didn't mean he was superhuman. She didn't want him damaging his skin. "Leave the bag here."

Jason nodded before handing over the tests, and following Nadine to the front door.

* * *

She was reading the instructions when he returned. Because they had two tests and she would be taking both Jason opened the other box so that he could read the instructions as well. It was pretty simple, and the results would be hard to misconstrue. The digital read out would clearly say pregnant or not pregnant.

"Do you need more water?" Jason pointed to the empty glass. His hand was still shaking.

"No, this is my second one since you left." Liz was full. "I just have to wait for the urge to go to the bathroom to hit me." She leaned back into the couch. "I've been sitting here thinking about what this means. We might be parents."

"Scared?" Jason took her hand in his.

"Terrified is more accurate. We've never even had a puppy. I don't even take care of the plants on the property." Liz said looking at him with scared eyes. "What if I can't do this?"

"The thought that I might screw up a child had crossed my mind more than once." Jason linked his fingers with hers. "According to Sonny and Johnny that's completely normal. They both felt the same way before their kids arrived. I talked to my dad and he said that he was terrified when AJ was born, when I came to live at the mansion, and even when Emily moved in. If we screw it up we'll do it together." He said glad to know that he wasn't the only one with those feelings.

Liz squeezed their joined hands. "I don't want to be my parents." She said getting to the heart of the matter.

"You couldn't be. Not ever." Jason promised her. "Even if you were, their history is much better than my parents." He pointed out.

"That isn't necessarily true. I mean the divorces and remarriages alone are going to be interesting talks with our kids. But I think your parents were more involved in your life than my parents were in mine." Liz said giggling. Her moment of panic had come. There would be others, but she had her guy beside her. She also had her family, her true family, surrounding her. "If we have a girl can we include Audrey in her name?"

"Yes. I'm going to be praying for boys though. May as well be honest about that." Jason said with a shrug. "I'm not sure I can handle having some guy show up at my house to take my princess out on a date. Sonny is terrified that his behavior with women will be revisited on Kristina in karmic retribution. I don't remember what I was like as a teenager, but I know what I've done since waking up."

"Jason you weren't that bad as a teenager. Trust me." Liz knew about Jason Quartermaine through the rest of the family. Before approaching them Elizabeth had asked Jason if he would mind. He said that she could ask whatever she liked. "Even after the coma you never cheated on anyone, and the women you were with weren't looking for relationships either." Liz didn't think he had anything to worry about. "Neither one of us has anything to worry about where karma is concerned."

"Not from that direction." Jason said softly. "I'll do everything I can to keep you both safe. You know that right?"

"I know that." Liz leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss because he needed it. He was worried about what his business could cost them, and honestly so was she. It would be negligent to not look at what that brought into their children's' lives. They would take precautions and their child, or children, would have guards. They would do what was necessary so that their family stayed safe. She believed in him, and that wasn't going to change.

"Any urge to go to the bathroom?" Jason asked hopefully.

"No." Liz shook her head. "Which is weird because when I get nervous I normally have to go. I may have been a little dehydrated to start. I guess another glass of water won't hurt."

Jason reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of water. "I grabbed it when I was at the store despite the fact that we have a lot of faucets here in the house."

"Okay." Liz smiled and twisted off the top.

"So are you going to make maternity clothes once your belly gets bigger?" He wanted to know. He really wanted them to be pregnant.

"Still have not changed my mind about that." She said shaking her head no. "Nor about mass producing clothes for kids. There are plenty of places to shop for both here in the city." The maternity side of fashion was actually pretty cut throat. There were three big brands and they did their best to keep it that way. Liz had been shocked at some of the stories Kate shared over lunch one day. "I may make things for myself from time to time though. Just like I made that dress for Karen to wear to the Nurses' Ball. And I don't consider that maternity because it was a custom gown." She finished the bottle of water.

"Want to watch television while we wait for your bladder to get with the program?" Just sitting here was fraying his nerves.

"Find a program about waterfalls." Liz said laughing.

"Yup." Jason turned to the guide to see what his options were.

* * *

Jason took his wife's request to heart and found a program on Hoover Dam. Twenty minutes in she got up and headed down the hall to the bathroom. Not really sure what to do he got up and followed. After a few minutes he heard the toilet flush and then water running. When she opened the door he urged her close. "So should we stand here for the next eight minutes? Or go back and pretend to watch television?"

"I don't think I can move from this spot." Liz knew it made no sense but she didn't want to go too far from the bathroom. "Besides I drank a lot of water, I may need to use the lavatory again before the results are in." She said laughing.

"Lavatory?" Jason looked down at his wife with a grin.

"School." Liz smiled at him. "We couldn't say bathroom for some reason. Are our children going to go to Port Charles Academy?"

"Public school will not be safe enough, so unless you want to hire a private tutor then PCA is the best option. I'd rather they not go to boarding school. That is a tradition in the Quartermaine family." Jason explained why he mentioned it.

"Will it cause problems when we buck that trend? I have no intention of sending my children out of Port Charles to go to school, other than college." Elizabeth was already bracing herself for some of the things the Quartermaines might expect. She was not going to let her children be pressured into running ELQ if it wasn't what they wanted.

"No, only because AJ will fight that battle first." Jason would support his brother, because he suspected there would be some big fights ahead. He really hoped he was wrong about that. With so much pain in the family's past it would be nice if they learned from that. "I also think that because our history my family won't push me as hard as they push AJ and Emily. I've proven that I will walk away. I won't hesitate to do it again to protect my children. They don't want to go through that again. I don't either." He knew that no matter what he wouldn't lose his siblings or his grandmother.

Liz bit her lower lip as a thought crossed her mind. She felt her husband's fingers under her chin and looked up at him. In his eyes she could see the unasked question of what was upsetting her. "Does it make me a bad person that I'm glad my parents aren't here? I will tell them about the baby, or possible baby." They exchanged letters, and skyped occasionally but that was it. "Not having to deal with their expectations on top of possibly dealing with the Quartermaine expectations is a good thing. I have no doubt my parents would be with your parents about our child, or children going into medicine." Liz had watched Monica and Alan try to get Em to follow in their footsteps when she was in college.

"It doesn't make you a bad person. I'm glad they aren't here either. If they irritated you I would have been happy to explain why that was a very bad idea." Jason always felt protective of Elizabeth, but those feelings would get stronger if she was pregnant.

"I'm tired just thinking about possible drama. Carly is already getting questions about what pre-school Michael will be attending next year." Liz was wondering when her friend was finally going to snap. She started laughing. "It's going to be adventure."

"Yeah. It is." Jason gave her a kiss. "At least I have a good partner."

"Please, I totally plan on hiding behind you." Liz told him laughing harder. He was just shaking his head when her watch beeped. "It's time." She was smiling up at him. No matter what the results they were going to be fine.

"Want me to go look?" Jason was actually nervous.

"We'll go together." Liz looked at the bathroom not moving. "Now, we'll go now."

Jason took the first step but they reached the sink together. Elizabeth had set the two tests down so that they would be able to immediately read the results. They looked at the one window and then at the second. Then back to the first and back to the second. "We're pregnant." He said in a hushed tone.

"I have a life we made inside of me." Liz said in that same awed tone. "We're going to be parents." She was trying to blink back tears, but it wasn't working. Elizabeth looked down and put her hands over her stomach. Jason's hand covered hers and she looked up. His eyes were sparkling with tears too. "I need to let Kelly know."

Jason leaned forward and gave Elizabeth a lingering kiss. Then he pulled her into his arms and just rested his cheek on the top of her head. He had so much joy in his heart right now he couldn't even talk. His whole world was in his arm, and that world was expanding. "I love you." His voice was raspy with his emotions. "Both of you."

"We love you too." Liz just relaxed into his embrace. Everything else could wait. Right now this was where she wanted to be.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	40. Chapter 40

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 40

"I'll go." Jason said throwing back the blanket.

"You just got in. You have to be tired." Liz said also throwing back the blankets.

"I was also gone for the last week." Jason walked around the bed and gently pushed his lovely wife down to the mattress again. Grabbing the covers he put them back in place.

"He is probably hungry." Liz told her husband, which wasn't necessary. Jason's knew Cameron's schedule as well as she did.

"Then I'll get a bottle from the refrigerator. Go back to sleep." He said before giving her a kiss and going down to the nursery. Being gone for an entire week had been hard on him emotionally. This was the first time it was necessary since his son had arrived. Francis offered to go, but Jason said no. Sonny still traveled for business so it wasn't fair for Jason to duck out of his responsibilities.

This was also the first trip that Elizabeth didn't go on with him, and the homesickness was almost more than Jason could handle. They skyped every night because he needed to see her and Cameron but not being able to touch or kiss them had Jason out of sorts.

He had also been worried that Elizabeth would be exhausted by the time he returned. Yes they had a nanny, but she didn't live in. So that meant when his wife returned home from work she had to take care of Cameron on her own. Not that she couldn't. Pregnancy had shown Jason just how capable his wife was. She grew another person inside her body and then pushed it out. Women were definitely not the weaker sex. Still they were partners in this and he felt last week she had to do more than her share.

"Hey buddy." Jason looked down at the tear stained face of his son. It was bad when Elizabeth cried, it was worse when Cameron did it. Jason was a softie for his girl and baby boy. Reaching into the crib he gathered the soft little body close. "Let's check your diaper." He kept his voice soft not only because it would be soothing to his son but because the monitor was on and one of the receivers was in their bedroom.

With the dry diaper in place, Jason picked up his son and they headed downstairs. "What do you feel like having tonight, or this morning?" It was almost two. Cameron was eating roughly every two and a half hours. It was a little early for his next meal, but it wouldn't hurt to give him something now. Their pediatrician said waiting until their son was hungry to feed him was not good for him. "Your choices are breast milk, breast milk, or breast milk. Which one would you like?" Jason looked at Cameron who was looking back at him. "Breast milk, good choice."

The bottle went into the warmer and Jason took the opportunity to kiss on his son. "I'm sorry I wasn't here last week. I had to do some work out of town. I went to Dublin. That's in Ireland. Your Uncle Johnny is from there. When you are older I will take you. Your mom and I are going to show you as much of the world as we can."

Cameron of course didn't say anything back. He did keep his eyes on his dad. His vision at this age still wasn't very good, but those cortexes were working hard in the baby's brain to get stronger. That was why they had put up mobiles over the crib and the main play area. So he would have things to focus on. "Your bottle should be ready." Jason gave the bottle a shake.

This still made him nervous because he worried about giving his son milk that was too hot. Elizabeth had done some experiments to find the perfect time needed to warm the milk based on how long it was in the refrigerator. He had a chart behind the warmer and each bottle was marked with a bottling date. That made things easier. They went down the hall to the living room and Jason got them settled in his recliner.

It was amazing the changes that had taken place in the three months since Cameron was born. They had gone from a couple to a family. Their hearts had expanded to allow in more love than Jason even knew was possible. The first night they were all in the house together they sat in the living just watching their son sleep in his carrier for almost four hours. It just seemed too much to wrap their heads around that he was actually here.

"That didn't take long." Jason said laughing when he put the empty bottle down. All four ounces were gone. Burping came next. This was something he had not been good at in the beginning. He had trouble patting Cameron hard enough to move the air around. To Jason it seemed like he was hitting his son, which wasn't true. So they had switched to rubbing the baby's back and that made him feel better.

"So how are you doing?" Jason asked his son. He put his feet on the recliner so that the baby was resting on his thighs. "Are we doing okay as parents? Is there anything you need that we haven't given you?" He smiled at the little boy who was still awake but blinking more often. Soon he would be slumbering again. "This would be easier if you could answer those questions. I just worry. It's a big thing being a dad. I love it but it's scary. I want to get it right."

Cameron yawned and his eyes slipped shut.

"Good chat." Jason said with a chuckle. Carefully his picked up the small child and took him back to his room. Elizabeth had gone with a transportation theme in the room. That made no sense to Jason until the room was finished and they did a tour. What she had come up with let him smiling wide.

Cars, boats, trains, airplanes, and even motorcycles were present in the design. The quilt she made had a variety of square panels showing different ways to get from one place to another. The ceiling was a blue sky with white clouds. Even the carpet reflected the theme. It was designed to look like a road complete with yellow and white traffic lines. The entire room was fun and unlike anything their friends had had. It was also an homage to Jason because he loved anything with an engine.

Taking a moment he watched his son sleeping before leaving the nursery. Quietly he opened the bedroom door and slipped under the covers. Elizabeth rolled over and cuddled close. "You should be sleeping."

"I am." She told him. Liz was only barely awake and it wasn't going to take much for her to go back to sleep. "You weren't going to cuddle up and I like having you close. You are warm." She let him know.

Jason just grinned. His wife was correct. He was going to stay on his side of the bed so he didn't wake her up. This however was much better. Having her in his arms really was one of the greatest things ever.

"Go to sleep." Liz said snuggling closer. "I have plans for you later."

"Like what?" Jason wanted to know. They were both off tomorrow and he had been looking forward to just hanging out with her and the munchkin. However if she needed him to do something around the house that wouldn't be a problem. At some point he was hoping for some private time in their bedroom. Their sex life was still great despite having a newborn in the house. They had to make some adjustments but they were both making sure to find time for just them.

He didn't get an answer because his lovely wife was sleeping again. "I guess I need to wait for later to find out." He wrapped his arms around his girl and enjoyed having her close.

* * *

"The kid is down for his morning nap." Jason said kissing the back of his wife's neck. They had a nice breakfast with all three of them around the table. Johnny had given them a three in one high chair that Cameron would be able to use from now until he was ready to sit in a regular chair. That meant he could join them at the table even if he was sleeping. "Can I talk you into spending some time in bed too?"

"I'm not sleepy." Liz said playing dumb.

"That's good because you sleeping will kind of mess up my plans." Jason urged her closer and kissed her neck again.

Before Liz could answer the doorbell rang. "You should get that."

He looked at her. Something about the look on her face let him know that she was expecting this visitor. "What are you up to?"

Liz just gave him a bright smile as the bell rang again. "The door."

Jason didn't say anything else but instead walked down the hall trying to puzzle out what the beautiful woman he had married was up to. There were just too many ways the current scenario could spin out, but he knew he would like the final result. He trusted her that much. "Hey Em."

"Welcome home!" Emily gave her brother a hug. "Did you bring me a souvenir?"

"I did. It's a glittery nightmare." Jason hadn't even taken it out of the bag the shopkeeper put it in because he was afraid it would get all over everything in his luggage. "It also glows in the dark." He took his sister's coat.

"Sounds like you outdid yourself." Emily couldn't wait to see it. She was back full time in Port Charles now having taken over as CEO of Deception. Elton had been lured away from Port Charles by Kate Howard. He was now the editor-in-chief of the Australian edition of Crimson. "I'm going to have to find a special place for that in my office."

Jason tried not to laugh. John had put his foot down that Em's collection could not be out in one of the main rooms of their house. He loved his wife, but that stuff was just too tacky. Instead he went out and bought her an antique set of shelves to display them.

"Hi." Emily gave her sister a big hug. "I'm so excited!" She did a dance right there in the hallway. "Don't rush back."

"At some point you will need to return home." Liz said laughing at her best friend. "John will miss you."

"True. I can't leave him and Murphy home alone for too long. They will destroy the place." Emily said nodding. Murphy was their mastiff puppy. She and John didn't want children. They loved being an aunt and an uncle. They babysat at every available opportunity. They even held sleep overs with all the kids from time to time. They just didn't feel the need to start a family of their own. It was news that Monica didn't take well at first, but AJ and Jason made their mother drop the topic.

"We are going out?" Jason asked looking over at his wife.

"We are." Liz walked over to the hall closet and reached inside. She grabbed her coat, then handed Jason his. "The kid is knocked out. Our phones will be on if you need to reach us. Our nanny is also on standby too."

"We'll be fine. If I can survive a whole day with the squad then this will be cake." Em said with a knowing grin. The squad was how they talked about all the kids when they were all together. It was made up of Michael and his little sister Morgan, Kristina and her little sister Adela, Cailin, and Rafe, Francis and Diane's adopted son. Four toddlers and two babies made for a long day. "I'll be able to knock over a bank with my gang once Cameron and Jo join us." Johanna was Nadine and Cody's little girl.

"Maybe I can talk Sonny into sending you back overseas." Jason said only half kidding. He was worried about the gleam in his sister's eyes.

"Okay go." She walked over and opened the door. "I have a young mind to corrupt."

"Thanks again." Liz said getting another hug before walking out the door. She had to wait for Jason to catch up. "I'm driving."

"Okay." He had been looking forward to spending time with Cameron today, but wasn't going to argue at time alone with his wife.

"By the way you have tomorrow off to spend with Cam." Liz could pretty much read his mind. "I'll be at work, and Debbie is off, so it will be just the two of you. Try not to destroy the house."

Jason just grinned as the garage door opened. The Porsche roared to life as Elizabeth remotely started the vehicle and opened the doors. "Ready?" She asked when they were both strapped in.

"I certainly hope so." Jason couldn't wait to see what she had in store for him.

* * *

"The hotel?" Jason would not have guessed this would be the location they were heading to.

"Uh huh." Liz by passed valet parking and went right to the garage. At the kiosk she handed over a pass and was waved through. They drove up the upper level and parked near the elevator.

"We weren't followed over?" Jason asked when they were getting out of the car. Honestly he hadn't even checked the mirrors to see if anyone was behind them.

"We were, sort of." Liz called the elevator and when it arrived they got on. "Our security detail dropped us off. I made special arrangements for the day." She knew that her hubby had grabbed his gun before they left the house. With things in the territory quiet she could bend the rules for the day.

"This gets more mysterious by the second." Jason commented as they got off in the lobby and walked over to the bank of elevators that serviced the hotel. His lovely wife hit the button on the one that was a little bit further from the others. "The owner's suite." Like the Towers the very top floor of the building had a private elevator.

"Yup." Liz said with a saucy grin. "I called Carly and she was only too happy to have a key delivered to the house." At the moment she, AJ, and their children were in London. Even when they were here the owner's suite was generally empty. Which made it a great place to have a day away while staying in the city.

The elevator opened and Jason followed her down the hall to the front door of the suite. This large space was the only room up here so they didn't have to worry about the running into anyone else. Still he looked around while Elizabeth was opening the door. When he turned back she was waiting for him to join her.

Once he was inside the suite Elizabeth locked the door and walked over to one of the house phones. She put her large bag on the couch before hitting the number for the front desk. "Hi Marty. Can you please turn off the elevator? I'll call down when we are ready to leave."

"Absolutely Mrs. Morgan." Marty ran the hotel for Carly. He had everything arranged for today. "The items you requested for lunch are in the refrigerator."

"Thank you." Liz said before hanging up and digging out her cell phone. "We're here." She listened and then laughed. "Thanks. Francis." She told her husband. "I'll call again when we leave and a security detail will pick us up when I pull out of the garage." Even while wanting privacy, she wouldn't risk his safety.

"So it's just you and me for how long?" Jason asked pushing off his jacket.

"I told Em we'd be home for dinner." Liz removed her coat and tossed it over the back of the couch. "I didn't tell her where we were going though." Nor did Emily ask. Elizabeth held out her hand and without a word Jason took it. They stopped when they were standing beside the bed. "I missed you last week." She said looking up at the man who owned her heart.

"I missed you too." Jason felt lonely, like part of him was missing. "There was entirely too much space in my bed."

"Yeah." That summed it up perfectly. She was used to turning over and having him there. "I slept in your shirt every night."

"I only had pictures." He said bringing his hand up and plunging it into the cool strands of her hair. "I looked at the one from our wedding every night before I went to sleep. That was one of the happiest days of my life. I've noticed that all the best days I've had all occurred after you came into my life."

"I can say the same thing." Liz hadn't been looking for him to complete her. She was enough on her own. She wanted someone to compliment her, to stand beside her, and love her. She had found that in Jason.

"I worried about you as well." His free hand came up to cup her jaw. It amazed him that her skin was as soft as Cameron's. "Did you have trouble sleeping while I was away?"

"Some." Liz wasn't going to lie about that. "It wasn't too bad. Em told me that Cameron and I were welcome to come stay with her and John, but I think that was just an attempt to get to her nephew."

Jason brushed his lips over hers. Being alone wasn't something Elizabeth struggled much with anymore. However from time to time it snuck up on her, just like the occasional nightmare happened. Being alone at night was not normal and he had worried she would be uneasy.

"The next time I go out of town it will be to go to Milan with you, so I'll be beside you when it's time to sleep. That will help us both rest easy." Jason let her know.

Liz just nodded. She would soothe the guilt she heard in his voice over the next few weeks. Guilt that he had been away from her, and from their son. "I'm sure that at some point today I will take a short nap. However now, I'm not the least bit tired." She let him know as she opened his belt. "What about you? Any jet lag?" It was not something that he had problems with.

"Not tired in the least." Jason assured her with a smile. Even if mentally he was his body was making it known that it was ready to be with Elizabeth. Standing here he was hard as iron. If she moved her hand lower she would see that for herself. As if hearing his thoughts she did just that and cupped his hard on which pulled a low hum from him.

"Good." Liz rubbed him over the denim. Stretching up she placed her lips right over the pulse point on his neck as she moved her hand up again to unsnap his jeans. When she lowered the zipper his pulse jumped which made her smile. He never failed to make her feel desirable. Even without words. Using both hands she pushed the jeans, and his boxer briefs, over his hips because they were in the way.

"I need to take my shoes off." Jason was ready for them both to get naked. The need to feel her skin against his was growing.

"Patience." Liz tunneled her hands under his t-shirt and pushed the soft fabric up. "Take this off." When he followed her instructions she kissed over his heart when his chest was bared. Her lips moved down, over his abs, and under his belly button until she was on her knees in front of him.

"Elizabeth." Jason groaned out her name. He wasn't sure he had the patience she just demanded of him. It had been almost ten days since they were together. He was shaking with his need to possess her. To feel her closing over his rigid cock.

"Ssh." Liz was in control and not letting that go, for now. Reaching out she wrapped her hands around his engorged shaft and stroked. When a drop of pre-cum appeared she used her thumb to move the lubrication so that her hand could move faster. Looking up through her lashes she could see that he was already struggling for control. It wasn't going to work though. Another bead of fluid appeared and this time she leaned forward and licked it away.

"Fuck!" Jason jerked and then forced himself to stay still. If she was going to take him in her mouth he needed to be careful not to make her gag. "I need to come." She was stripping him raw. "Please." Begging was not a problem for him.

"You will." Elizabeth said tightening her fist, but stroking slower. "I love the way you taste too much to deny us both that."

He just didn't have any words to reply to that. All the blood in his body was in his cock, and she was too sexy for him to handle. His hand was tangled in her hair because it was the only way he could touch her right now, and he had to touch her. Jason was thinking that the pleasure couldn't go higher she allowed him into her mouth and his eyes rolled up into his head it was so fucking awesome.

It kind of surprising how powerful doing this for Jason made her feel. She was on her knees in front of him which screamed that she was being submissive but nothing was further from the truth. She was controlling his pleasure, this encounter would end when and how she wanted it too.

This also made her hot. Her body was more than ready to have him moving inside her. However they weren't there yet. No right now she was about to blow her husband away. Literally. She took him deeper and then hummed. Letting the vibration move from her body into his.

Game over. He was done. The humming pushed him right over the edge. With a shout he came, his body jerking hard because it was no longer under his control. Jason felt like he had left his body, and when he came back to himself his girl was still on her knees smiling up at him.

"Feel good?" She said with a smirk. His reaction told already gave her the answer. He held out his hand and she let him help her to his feet. Next thing she knew she was off her feet and landing on the bed with a bounce. It wasn't a move she saw coming and it made her laugh.

Jason removed his boots and then kicked off the material that was pooled around his ankles. "That was amazing. Now it's my turn." He planned on making her scream, multiple times.

He started by pulling her jeans and underwear down her legs. He urged her into a sitting position so that could remove her shirt and bra. Undressing her was one of the great pleasures in life. Tilting her head back he took her mouth in a deep kiss. She was breathing hard when he released her lips and just like she did with him he let his lips move down her body. Stopping to take time to give her hard nipples some attention. When she was squirming beneath him, Jason knew it was time to move on.

"You're so wet for me." He said with a wicked grin. "You are my favorite nectar. It's so sweet on my tongue." He said before dipping his head and taking a taste. "I could stay here all day." He said before moving her leg to give himself more room. He was going to be awhile.

She was sweating. The man was destroying her every single time his tongue moved over her sensitive flesh. Her whole body was trembling and he was showing no signs of stopping. She had already come twice and it was clear that wasn't enough for him. When he moved from her center she took a much needed deep breath. Looking up when he moved over her she saw so much love that it stole the breath she just took.

"Ready for me?" He was hard again, and starting to hurt. He needed the relief that only she could give him.

"Yes." It came out husky. Wrapping her legs around his waist she opened herself up to him and when he pushed inside her it was the most wonderful home coming ever.

The pleasure that had come before this didn't even compare to how it felt to be joined so intimately. They rocked together not speaking but keeping their eyes on one another. They shattered together and as they stayed locked together shared the sweetest kiss. "I love you." He said softly needing to give her those words.

"I love you." Liz said softly. This was forever. Which made them both so incredibly blessed.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	41. Chapter 41

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Epilogue

"What?" Elizabeth looked over at her husband who was trying not to laugh.

"I think it's cute that you are so excited for tonight." Jason turned to face her as they pulled up to a red light.

"We're having dinner with our son and daughter in-law." Elizabeth loved any chance she got to have a visit with her children.

"We just saw them on Sunday." Jason gave up and laughed as he hit the gas. "We'll see them again this Sunday." They had family dinner at the end of every week just to stay connected. It used to be just the boys, now that Cameron was married his wife came when her schedule allowed.

"I know." Liz said giving her husband side eye. "I am aware that I'm really fortunate that both boys live in Port Charles. I really don't know how Johnny and Karen can bare it." The O'Briens also ended up with two children. Both girls, and neither one of them lived in Port Charles anymore. Karen said the house had seemed so empty. Which was why they sold it and moved into the smaller penthouse at the Towers.

"Not only do we get to see the boys around the table once a week, but we see them most days at work as well." Jason knew that he was blessed to have such a close knit family.

Cameron ended up going to work for his mother. He ran her fashion house. From an early age he had enjoyed fashion, and from his teens showed a strong knowledge of what the popular trends were. He started interning with his mother at sixteen. By twenty he knew that was where he wanted to work after college. During his junior year he had talked with his dad and admitted that he was worried that this choice would be disappointing. Jason assured his son he was proud of him and knew he would do great.

Jake went to work for his dad. That decision wasn't exactly met with a positive reaction from his parents. Liz was terrified, she still was. Jason for his part had done his best to change his son's mind. Once they realized Jake was serious about going into the business then Jason relented. He'd rather train his son then let someone else do so. Jake was assigned to Francis, and just because he was the boss's son he wasn't treated with kid gloves. The standard that everyone else had to live up to, was the same for Jake. He turned out to be smart and a natural. Everything he had he earned.

"Have you been wondering why Cameron wanted to go out to dinner?" Liz wanted to know. She was trying not to get her hopes up, but this could be a baby announcement.

Jason just snorted in laughter. "They've only been married a few years." He could read her mind.

"True, but so were we when we decided to start our family." Liz agreed and offered a counter argument. "They've also been together for almost six years already." She wasn't going to pressure the young couple to have a baby any time soon, or at all, but meeting out at a restaurant in the middle of the week was unusual.

"Jake is home." Jason shifted topics.

"Good. How did he enjoy Lisbon?" Liz was proud of her youngest son. He was a good man just like his dad.

When Jake started working in the business he was worried that she was angry. In fact he avoided her for a few weeks out of fear about her reaction. She invited him out of the house when she was home alone and they talked for hours. About his decision and why he was making it. When they were done she had no choice but to offer him her support, because this was something he had given a lot of thought to.

"He said it was a beautiful city." Jason pulled into the valet parking area. "I got back good reports from our friends." Manny had called to say that Jake was welcome back anytime. "We will be going early next year."

"Good." Liz had enjoyed her last stay. They walked into the lobby and past the hostess. They were eating in the private dining room and they both knew where it was located. "Look loiterers." Liz pointed and laughed as they walked past the bar.

"After all these years I still can't believe she is willing to be seen in public with you." Johnny said giving his friend grief.

"You would know that feeling better than me." Jason just grinned. "Hello Karen."

"Hi Jason." Karen ignored her husband. "I have four clients who are waiting for this dress to come back in stock." She said looking at Liz.

"I have more than a few back orders on this one." Liz nodded her understanding. The leaf embroidered form fitting dress with a banded waistline had proven to be one of the breakout stars of the current collection. It was sleeveless which made it perfect for the warmer months, but with a sweater it could transition to colder weather. The keyhole cutout on the neckline showed small glimpses of skin giving the dress some sex appeal. She was wearing it in pale blue, but it was available in four different shades. "Cameron has enjoyed pointing out that he said I needed to order more of these when I submitted the collection." She was now a household name and the head of billion dollar fashion empire.

"That is why you pay him." Karen said with a smile.

"Date night?" Liz looked between her friends.

"No." Johnny said a little surprised. "Cameron invited us to dinner. Didn't he tell you? He said we should be here."

Liz looked at her husband before looking at her friends. "You guys know that you are always welcome to eat with us. However it is a little odd that he would invite you tonight because we are getting the impression he has something to share."

"I got that impression too." Johnny placed his arm around his wife's waist as the two couples went down the hall. "I can't think of what he and Emma would want to share with us, at the same time as you." If Cameron had married one of the O'Brien girls it would make more sense, but he hadn't.

He had married the daughter of Patrick and Robin. The petite doctor had moved away from Port Charles not long after the night Liz was kidnapped. She was gone for about two years before deciding to return. By that point Patrick and Lisa were over, but Robin still wasn't ready to offer forgiveness. In fact things between the two doctors were down right frigid. Robin's relationship with the ladies wasn't much better. She pretty much only hung around with Georgie and Maxie. What Robin didn't do was try to talk with any of the mob guys. Which kept Emily and Carly from trying to kill her.

Johnny had been the one to say all that hate was just repressed sexual tension, and he had been shown to be right when Robin turned up pregnant. Then Port Charles was treated to the two doctors fighting about the pregnancy, then about the fact that Patrick wanted to get married and Robin didn't. In fact it was a rare moment when the two of them weren't fighting about something. That ended when Robin suffered an abruption and almost died.

Cameron knew Emma from an early age. They were in the same grade despite her being younger. Emma was smart like both her parents. The two kids got along well, and Liz encouraged the friendship. Especially since she wasn't required to interact much with Robin. Even now they rarely socialized with the Drakes unless it was for the kids. "Have you seen the Drakes?" Liz wanted to know.

"No." Karen said shrugging. She had been encouraged to make up her own mind about Robin. The ladies were mature enough to understand Karen didn't need their approval of her friends. It just turned out she didn't like Robin either.

"Why don't we just ask the kids?" Jason said grabbing the doorknob to the private room.

"No fun at all." Johnny just shook his head. Jason's lack of curiosity was always a good thing to tease him over. All these years later Johnny still enjoyed messing with his boss.

Jason just smirked and opened the door. They walked in and saw why their friends were here.

"Ali!" Karen gave her daughter a big hug. "Why didn't you say you were coming down?"

"Because then it wouldn't be a surprise." Alison O'Brien looked like her mom but had her dad's colorings. Her dark hair and green eyes had always garnered her a lot of attention from boys. Something that gave her dad grey hairs. "Surprise." She said hugging on her dad.

"Hi sweetie." Liz gave her goddaughter a hug. "You look great."

"I'm in one of your dresses, so that is a given." Alison had grown up wearing her godmother's creations. Which meant that she and Cailin always looked good.

"Hi." Liz walked over and kissed Jake. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He gave her a hard hug. "I brought you something back from Lisbon."

"You are the only thing I need." Liz said hugging him again. She then hugged Cameron and Emma. "Thank you for arranging this." She told her son.

"I didn't." Cam gave her a small smile. He wasn't stealing his brother's thunder. What he would do was help in whatever way was needed.

"We get to have a nice family dinner." Karen was smiling at her daughter.

"Actually before we start I have an announcement." Jake was like his dad, public speaking wasn't his thing. He liked to blend into the background and just observe those around him.

Ali walked away from her parents to stand next to Jake. "We have an announcement."

"We?" Johnny looked between his daughter and his godson. "As in you and Jake?" His little girl had been interested in someone for the past eight months, but she wouldn't say who. She said he would try to scare the guy off. He just countered that was what dads did.

"Yes." Jake looked at Ali. "As in me and her. But no we aren't dating. I want that to change." He had told his mother that he was talking with someone, but he knew she thought he was saying that so that she would drop the subject. Neither he nor his brother lied very often, it was a habit they got from their dad.

Jason looked between her two sons and got that Cameron knew already. That wasn't surprising the boys were extremely close and always had each other's backs. As far as Jason was concerned this was great news. Johnny however might not be so thrilled. He loved Jake, but that was his daughter who was saying that she wanted to start dating a mobster.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Karen wanted to know. She was wondering if her husband was about to have a stroke. He hadn't said anything.

"Dad chased Michael away. So I didn't think that he would be that thrilled about me bringing Jake home." Ali had been the one to decide that they needed to keep their interest in one another quiet. Jake had to be convinced this was the right way to go. When she went to Toronto to work in her friend's art gallery they stayed in touch, talking every day. If anything the time apart made their relationship stronger. "Given what Mikey did and what Jake does I thought it was going to be a tough sell."

Johnny just blinked. He always told his girls that they could come to him with anything. Then his actions had made Ali think that was just lip service. "Ali." He took a deep breath because this was not something he even had a hint about. "Michael and Cailin were a different kettle of fish."

Michael Quartermaine had been the kind of boy no dad wanted to see on their doorstep. As a teenager he had been a nightmare. He very much enjoyed tossing his last name around. He was a bully who thought that his actions wouldn't have any consequences. AJ and Carly were all but pulling their hair out trying to get him to behave. It was Jason who finally put the fear of god into his nephew. However that came after Michael could have killed Cailin in a horrifying moment where history repeated itself.

Johnny told his daughter to stay away from Michael. It was a straight up order. Which was why when Johnny got the call that she had been injured in a car accident with the drunk teen behind the wheel, he pretty much lost it. Cailin had suffered a broken arm, but Michael needed surgery and then rehab. When he was fully healed Jason paid his nephew a visit which ended with Michael deciding that sobriety was a good choice and that he might benefit from some time in London. "He almost killed your sister."

Alison just looked at her dad. Jake's life was dangerous. Something that her dad knew first hand. She just didn't see him accepting this. "That's where any conversation about me seeing Jake would have started. I wasn't going to fight with you about this. Nor was I going to be put in a place where I had to choose. Jake and I want to see each other."

"I have no intention of sneaking around behind your back. I respect you too much for that." Jake told the man he had called uncle all of his life. "Ali was one of my best friends. Now I'd like her to be something more." He looked at the woman holding his hand, the women he had fallen in love with. He was going to marry Ali, hopefully her father could accept that.

Liz and Karen were both reaching for tissues. Jason handed his wife his handkerchief. He was proud of his son, and he didn't envy the position his friend was in. When Liz said two children was enough he had let out a relieved breath that they hadn't had any girls. He would have loved any daughter he was blessed with, but there was no way he wouldn't be ready to kill whoever she brought home.

"I need a drink." Johnny had no idea what to say to this. "Did you know?" He asked Jason.

"No." Jason told his friend. "You want to take a walk?"

Johnny just shook his head. He had raised his girls to be strong. To fight for what they wanted. Michael had just been too dangerous. Cailin had tearfully admitted while still in the hospital that her dad had been right. That she should have stayed away from Michael. The last thing Johnny wanted was to visit another daughter in the hospital, or to put one in the ground. Being with Jake had the potential to see both those things happening.

"What about Toronto?" Karen wanted to know. If Johnny decided that he couldn't accept this it would be up to her to put the family back together. What she wasn't worried about was Jason's reaction. Over the years she had learned he was a fair man. Sonny would stay out of this as well which meant Johnny didn't have to worry about how this affected work.

"I'm moving back home. I bought the gallery on Main Street." Ali had more than enough money to do this. "I've learned a lot in the past eight months. Professionally, and personally." She had found the place her heart belonged. When you dated enough losers the winners stood out.

"You love him." Johnny wasn't asking a question.

"That's a conversation we need to have together before we have it with everyone else." Jake answered for them both.

Johnny looked between the two of them and saw a united front. He also saw that Jake was ready to protect Ali if it became necessary. He was so much like his dad, and Jason was one of the finest men that Johnny knew. He had helped raise the man standing on the other side of the room holding his daughter's hand. And if asked before walking into the room he would have said that Jake was a fine man as well. "I'm going to take that walk. Jason, you and your son should come with me."

"Dad." Alison spoke up for the first time really afraid. She and her sister were sheltered from what their father did, but they still heard things. Her dad was someone people feared. Her and Jake sneaking around could have disastrous consequences, but she was smart enough to know that them being honest could cause a breach as well.

"It's fine." Jake squeezed Ali's hand. He wanted to kiss her but there was no way he could until all this was settled.

"Should I come too?" Cameron's first instinct was to protect his brother.

"No." Jake had told Cameron that he and Emma should stay home but his brother refused. They were family and family stood together. "Let's go." He did give his mother a kiss before walking out.

Liz just watched them go, it was Ali bursting into tears that had her facing the room again. All three women moved to offer comfort, and Liz said a silent prayer that no one came back with a black eye.

* * *

They went out to the private garden. "Whose idea was it to stay quiet?" Johnny wanted to know. He could guess, but wanted to see what Jake said.

"Mine." Jake didn't hesitate to say.

"Fuck me, you're just as bad a liar as your dad." Johnny just shook his head. Like his dad Jake could sit for hours in interrogation and not say a word. "I'll kill you if anything happens to her. You have to know that."

"I'll die if anything happens to her so you killing me won't be necessary." Jake told his godfather. "She's everything to me. I'm willing to work on the legitimate side of the business as much as possible from now on if that makes this easier for you to accept. I'm not willing to walk away from her." Jake couldn't get out completely out of the business.

Johnny just looked at Jake before shaking his head again. "I never saw you coming. I thought for sure she was interested in Rafe." Francis's son was in Puerto Rico working for Renaldo, who now ran the island for Jason and Sonny. Sitting in Corelli's office the other day Johnny had said that Jake was going to eventually run things with Rafe as his second in command. Then he said together the boys would be respected throughout the Costa Nostra.

Jake didn't say anything but Rafe was interested in Adela. He was already trying to figure out how to keep Sonny from killing him when he asked her out. If Jake survived this then he might have some tips for his friend. Or maybe Kristina could help her younger sister because she was engaged to Lorenzo and Skye's son Luca.

"Tell me that you'll be good to her." Johnny was going to trust that his baby girl knew what she was doing. He already prayed for her safety every night, now he just needed to hope those prayers were being heard.

"I can stand here and tell you that, or anything else you want to hear. What will convince you are my actions." Jake told the older man. This was his one shot and he was going to make the most of it. "I can say that she'll always be first, but that's not true. You've been in this life a lot longer than me so you know that. I can tell you I won't make her cry, but that's not true either. She will cry. She'll cry because I'm not home and I haven't called. She'll cry because I missed an anniversary because I'm in jail. She'll cry because I have to put on a gun to walk out the door. What I can tell you, again, is that she is everything. Only her. Always her."

"You can't live together before you get married." Johnny told the younger man.

"That's not your call." Jake said with a grin. He wasn't going to bow down to his godfather. "Ali is hoping to move into the Towers. She's going to talk to Uncle Sonny about that tomorrow. I asked her to see if she could stay with you. She said no."

Jason just laughed. "You'll have Johnny sitting there staring at you when you bring her home if Ali moves back in with her parents." He also thought it was smart that she was going to be living in the Harbor View Towers because Jake lived in the Dorchester Towers. No one was saying the kids had to be celibate, but Jake was showing respect for Johnny by having Ali in a different building.

"Put a ring on her finger." Johnny told Jake. He was doing a lot of dictating but this was his little girl they were talking about.

"When it's the right time for us." Jake wasn't going to let his uncle run this relationship. It would be soon anyway because he wanted his ring on her finger. Just like Jake knew Ali would welcome the piece of jewelry when he presented it to her.

Jake was holding his ground, something Johnny very much respected. "I'm going to be watching."

"Understood." Jake said with a nod. A lot of people would be watching. It was the curse and blessing of having such a large, close knit family. Not that he was worried because he intended to treat Ali like a queen. Just like his dad treated his mom. She would never have a reason to doubt his love, and no one else would either.

Johnny extended his hand and kept his eyes on the younger man's as they shook. "Go so that Ali will see that we weren't pounding on one another."

"Want me to order you a whiskey?" Jake asked with a smirk.

"Karen already has that covered." Johnny said with a smirk of his own. His wife knew him well. "Thanks, for letting us talk that out."

"I wasn't going to let you hurt each other, but this wasn't something I was needed to interfere in." Jason told one of his oldest friends. "The two of you have to figure this out. He's going to be your son in-law and that is not a relationship that will involve me. It's just like Cameron and Patrick had to figure out how to coexist in Emma's life."

"We both got lucky, no father in-laws." Johnny looked at his friend and smiled wide. "We're gonna be in-laws."

"I'm never going to be rid of you." Jason said on a mock long suffering sigh. "I've been counting down the days until you retire and I was set free. Now you'll never go away."

"Nope. He's not going to Vegas for his bachelor party." Johnny told his friend.

"Tell that to Cameron, he'll be the one throwing it." Jason gave up and laughed. "He couldn't have picked a better woman." Ali was a good person, and now that he knew about the relationship Jason thought she was just what Jake needed.

"She picked a good one." Johnny could admit that.

"Let's go back." Jason was looking forward to watching his son be in love. They headed down the hall and Elizabeth came over to give him a hug. While they watched Ali hugged her dad, then went back to Jake's arms. Jason looked down at his wife, the center of his world, and dropped her a wink. "I guess we are done the excitement for the night."

"Let's get some champagne to celebrate." Johnny was hoping for at least a year before he had to give his daughter away.

"None for me." Emma said smiling at the room.

"You on call?" Ali knew Emma well and liked her. That she was already a board certified doctor was pretty amazing.

"Nope. Pregnant." Emma said sharing her and Cameron's news.

Cameron dropped his wife a wink before they found themselves surrounded by the family. This was the perfect way to start dinner.

* * *

"I'm going to be a grandmother." Liz was still processing the news as they walked into the house. "I'm going to be a grandmother, and by this time next year I'll more than likely have a new daughter."

"You'll be the sexiest grandmother in Port Charles." They had been a couple for almost thirty years and she still made his heart beat faster when she walked in the room.

Elizabeth blushed a light pink. The man was still all kinds of potent. "You will be a sexy grandpa. I can't wait to see you holding Cameron's little one." She walked over and kissed him. Life was crazy and you never knew what it would throw at you. Lucky for her she had a wonderful man who loved her and together they were enjoying the ride. "Our life is so good."

"It is." Jason gave his wife a soft kiss. "When the new baby comes, and Jake gets married it will only get better."

"Thank you for loving me." Liz said leaning into him.

"I couldn't do anything else." Jason said holding her close. "My heart has always been yours. Ready to go to bed?"

"Absolutely." Liz gave him a coy smile. "You can show me something else that is mine." She said before heading to the stairs.

"I can't think of a better way to end the night." Jason said following his wife upstairs. As she had said when they first got home, life was good.

* * *

Time sure does fly, we've wrapped another story. Thank you so much Dottie for requesting that our couple take some time to explore Puerto Rico. Its not somewhere I've ever been, but its on my bucket list now. I'm glad you enjoyed the story so much.

Thanks to all of you who read the story. If you left a review, hit the like or favorite button, then thank you again! I love hearing from you guys. It helps me to know what you like and what you don't like. I read all the reviews and I'm keeping track. I use that information to create future stories.

I do have another story coming. After I take a break. So thank you is in order for your understanding that my eyes need special care. This break should not be as long as the last one. The next story is nearing completion so editing will hopefully start soon.

Thank you Liason102 it is always a joy and pleasure to work with you!

See you guys around the site! Be well!

Thanks for the reviews, the follows, and the favorites!


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